Security at the Republican National Convention gained increased attention after the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump on Saturday, and Sandy Springs has a team of police officers and a firefighter in Milwaukee.
Sandy Springs agreed to send its Quick Response Force – consisting of eight police officers and a firefighter, who is a trained paramedic – to aid the Milwaukee Police Department with security, Sandy Springs Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Leon Millholland told Rough Draft.
A spokesperson for the Milwaukee Police Department said that planning for the RNC began at least 18 months ago.
“We requested assistance from law enforcement agencies from in state and throughout the whole country for assistance during the RNC,” the Milwaukee PD spokesperson said.
The tasks the Sandy Springs PD Quick Response Force will be assigned to do aren’t being provided for security reasons, the spokesperson said.
The Quick Response Force trains to respond to active assailants and civil disturbances, which may include protests, riots, sporting events, or any situation where large crowds have become out of control for normal police response, Millholland said.
Their mission remains unchanged after the assassination attempt in Butler, PA, on July 13, Millholland said. The team departed on July 13, and plans to return to Sandy Springs on July 20.
The team’s transportation, lodging, and per diem are being covered by a federal reimbursement, Millholland said.
