Will protocol to protect presidential candidates change following Trump's assassination attempt?
FOX 2 - The Detroit Police Department coordinated closely with Secret Service agents in preparation for President Joe Biden's visit to Renaissance High School last Friday, following standard procedures for such federal engagements.
"We have a really, really tight partnership with our federal partners," said Detroit Deputy Chief Arnold Williams.
But many police departments are taking a closer look at that dynamic since the attempted assassination of former president and 2024 candidate Donald Trump in Pennsylvania last weekend.
"Anytime something like that happens, I mean the entire nation is abhorred. We’re like, ‘what is this?’" Williams said.
As the election in November approaches, it is expected that both Biden and Trump will make additional visits to Michigan. So FOX 2 spoke with DPD's deputy chief about how local police collaborate with the Secret Service to protect candidates.
"The Secret Service generally takes lead. We meet with them, and they tell us the resources that they need, and areas that they'll go to. And then it’s up to us to actually provide that staffing and meet those requests," Williams said. "We look a lot into the intelligence – so, our real crime time center, they do sweeps of social media, and we’ll talk with our federal partners if they have any information. So it’s a lot of intel sharing."
Questions have risen regarding how the gunman who targeted Trump, identified as Thomas Crooks, was able to access a rooftop position within less than 200 yards of the former president, along with having a clear line of sight to him.
Rally goers spotted the sniper and repeatedly warned police –86 seconds before shots were fired– striking Trump in the ear, killing an attendee, and critically wounding two others.
"Obviously, there was a disconnect and a number of failures," Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said, weighing in on how the shooter could even get to the roof – let alone be there for some time before firing.
"If you’ve got that ability to see a protectee, obviously that has to be owned by law enforcement – either by having their own team on that, or watching it, or securing it," Bouchard continued.
An hour before the shooting, agents and police recognized the shooter as a suspicious person; 10 minutes before the shooting, they recognized him as a threat, according to FOX News. The lead agent in charge with the Secret Service on the scene of the rally was also on the phone with local and state police as the gunfire erupted.
Video of the chaotic response shows police ramming a fence with a squad car to get to the shooter.
With so many breakdowns in communication and protection, Bouchard said it’s even more important for local police and Secret Service to keep the operation tight.
"Usually, they’ll put one of their agents in one of our cars that has their radio, and they can listen to our radio, so all of that gets worked out early on," Bouchard said.
In the meantime, Trump's first campaign stop since the shooting will be at Grand Rapids this Saturday, with his running mate, JD Vance – the senator from Ohio.
FOX 2 reached out to Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom regarding their security measures.
In a statement, Winstrom said his department is working close with their federal partners and planning for Saturday's campaign event, and that they are approaching Saturday's event in the same way that they do for many events they have, large and small – "with solid operational planning, effective resource deployment and an unwavering commitment to the safety of the community."
READ MORE: