Heavy Security Expected at the Democratic National Convention

• By Sydny Shepard
• Jul 22, 2016

While Cleveland police, state law enforcement and federal agents worked to secure the Quickens Loan Arena and the 1.7 mile area around it during the 2016 Republican National Convention, security professionals in Philadelphia were finalizing their plans to protect the Democratic National Convention.

The host city is bracing for many of the same security challenges that Cleveland faced, and so far has managed to prepare for every scenario. Philadelphia police Lt. John Stanford said that a team of department officials was in Cleveland, keeping an eye on the operations as part of its preparations for next week.

A major difference between the Cleveland police force and the Philadelphia police department is size. The Philadelphia police department employs about 6,600 officers. That offers enough coverage without the need for supplemental officer forces.

The convention is expected to draw between 35,000 and 50,000 protesters per day, according to convention demonstration permit applications filed with the city. Police believe the protests to be peaceful and will be actively monitoring the demonstrations as they happen.

Like in Cleveland, the Philadelphia strategy will be overseen by the U.S. Secret Service and has been in construction for months. The agency uses a “National Special Event Model” to plan for events such as national conventions, the Super Bowl, presidential inaugurations and United Nations gathers.

During the convention only people with tickets or credentials can access the Wells Fargo Center where they will go through security check points. Attendees are prohibited from bringing in certain items including weapons, selfie sticks, balloons and backpacks.