U.S. to Help With Security at GOP Event
New York City will receive federal help in providing security for the 2004 Republican National Convention, officials said Wednesday.
About 48,000 people are expected for the Aug. 30-Sept. 2 convention, which will be shortly before the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The city has pledged to spend at least $22 million on security for the event -- much of it on police overtime -- and $5 million on insurance, officials said.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Wednesday that the convention will be designated a national special security event, which allows the Secret Service to coordinate security with local law enforcement.
For city officials, the designation means that they will have to deal only with the Secret Service on an array of issues, rather than a range of federal agencies. It does not mean, officials said, that police will assume a subordinate role to the Secret Service.
Since 1998, the designation has been used for political events, the Winter Olympics and one Super Bowl.
Ridge said the federal government won’t pay police overtime.
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