Cleveland police confirmed to newsnet5.com that RNC security plans will be tightened as a result of the shootings that left five officers dead in Dallas overnight.
A spokesperson also confirmed that the department has reached out to departments across the country who plan to loan officers for the RNC, assuring them of their officers’ safety.
The City of Cleveland would not elaborate on how the plans would change.
“As you know we are not discussing deployment or tactics,” a city spokesperson said in a statement.
The Secret Service and FBI also could not comment.
National security expert Tim Dimoff told newsnet5.com that the incident will likely lead to increased patrols and pairing up of some officers.
“This is definitely going to raise the barometer,” Dimoff said. “And you’re definitely going to see an increase in tactical security.”
Dimoff said sniper protection was already part of the RNC security plan, but that might be heightened as well.
Meanwhile, Al Porter, who leads the group Black on Black Crime, Inc. tells newsnet5.com that he mourned the deaths of those five officers the same way he mourned for Philander Castilo and Alton Sterling.
“What just happened is a tragedy last night but it can ultimately destroy a whole lot of positive more powerful messages that can come through,” he said.
His group still plans to spread their message against violence in the community and police brutality at the RNC.
But he said the emphasis will be on exercising his constitutional right in a peaceful way.
“We will make sure on our end to do everything that we can to make sure that it’s peaceful,” Porter said.
