With tens of thousands of people including delegates, politicians and protestors expected in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, both federal and local law enforcement authorities have promised a secure event.
“We have eyes and ears on everything we possibly can in that location,” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters this week. “And we’re working with our federal partners to make sure to ensure we don’t have a major incident in that area.”
Snelling was referring to areas inside the secured perimeters at both the United Center and McCormick Place – where DNC events will take place this week, beginning Monday and lasting through Thursday.
Full interview: Chicago’s top cop Supt. Snelling discusses DNC safety strategies
Street closures began this weekend in areas surrounding both the United Center and McCormick Place as law enforcement agencies – including the U.S. Secret Service, Chicago Police and other state and local agencies – began enforcing security perimeters – which restricts both vehicle and pedestrians in certain areas close to both venues.
An unscientific investigation by NBC 5 Investigates of the city’s Police Observation Device – or POD cameras – found the vast majority of city-operated surveillance cameras appeared to working around both the United Center and McCormick Place.
As part of our reporting, we submitted Freedom of Information Act requests and gathered video from more than 20 POD cameras around both locations last month.
At the time the video was recorded, we found the vast majority of all cameras appeared to be functioning; however, two cameras appeared to have very poor video quality – potentially missing some activity.
Other cameras, which have the ability to pan or tilt, remained fixed in the same direction for hours on end. The City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications declined our request submitted weeks ago for an interview along with a request to view the operations center to better understand how the cameras will be used during the DNC.
Despite records requests filed more than a month ago – and a renewed request with another city agency on July 30 – the City of Chicago has also refused to provide records detailing how many cameras throughout the city remain broken or under repair.
When NBC 5 Investigates asked about the POD cameras’ status during Tuesday press briefing with reporters, CPD Superintendent Snelling said: “What I can tell you is that (Public Safety) is working on camera repairs and installations if necessary, so these installations have been going on for quite some time and they continue to do that.”
And when asked if there were still areas of concern or those that are under repair, he said:
“Well, that’s across the city and the locations that you are specifically talking about – we have security measures around those locations to ensure that we don’t have a major incident like that occur.”
The incident he was referring to was the assassination attempt last month against former President Donald Trump. The apparent security failure prompted public criticism, Congressional hearings and the eventual resignation of the Secret Service director amid questions over the lack of communication between Secret Service and local authorities in Butler, Pennsylvania where the shooting happened.
When asked about lessons learned Tuesday and if the public could trust the plan in place for the DNC, Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer said you cannot compare the two events, adding:
“If you are not learning and trying to be innovative and creative in law enforcement, you are not doing your job. All of us in law enforcement are trying to get better every day as far as comparing Butler to a (National Special Security Event) event you can’t compare it,” Mayer said. “This is a whole of government approach, we’ve been planning for this convention… So you can’t compare the two.”
The U.S. Secret Service says it spent more than year developing security plans for the 2024 DNC.
In a statement released Sunday to NBC 5 Investigates, the Secret Service said that they’ve taken a “multi-layered approach” to security measures, including aerial observation and physical barriers and the substantial presence of law enforcement.
“The U.S. Secret Service supplements existing security infrastructure with additional measures to ensure a safe convention,” the statement added.
NBC 5 Investigates also spoke to Debra Kirby, a former high-ranking member of the Chicago Police Department, who was involved in the 2012 NATO summit – which saw large demonstrations of protesters.
Kirby now works as a security consultant to the private sector for Jensen Hughes and said that when it comes to cameras – the City of Chicago has the ability to leverage thousands of additional cameras from private companies – expanding their observational footprint.
“It does help to provide what is the overall situation and does it provide at least … whether or not additional resources are needed to supplement,” she said.
Freddy Martinez with Lucy Parsons Lab has studied surveillance involving the Chicago Police for years and says he remains somewhat concerned about the constitutional rights of Chicagoans and protesters alike.
“The thing that keeps us up at night is where are these decisions being made, how are they being made and how are they being made and who is impacted,” he said.
Draft estimates from earlier this year anticipated that Chicago could spend upwards of $75 million in federal funds providing public safety during the DNC.
NBC 5 Investigates has asked for a clearer breakdown of that spending.
We are still waiting on a response.