Planning, coordination for Trump rally touted

By Vindy Staff | July 27, 2017 at 12:01a.m.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The overall assessment by those who made Donald Trump’s visit Tuesday to both Struthers AMVETS and the Covelli Centre safe for the president and public is that pre-planning and agencies’ coordination on the ground worked well, but some lessons were learned for the next big event.

From the time Trump’s visit was confirmed to the time he arrived in the Mahoning Valley, the center and other groups helping with the appearance had a busy eight days to prepare.

“In dealing with the Secret Service and the amount of security, it was unlike anything we ever had” before, said Eric Ryan, Covelli Centre executive director. “They called the shots. They’re the boss, which is much different than anything we normally do.

“We had to assist in the producing of the event with the stage and the setup of the facility,” he said. “The preparation from the security detail was extremely intense. Anybody in the facility had to have background checks, anybody working had to have a background check.”

The biggest challenge, Ryan said, was providing concessions to guests. Unlike at other events, the backstage area was locked down, meaning venue staff didn’t have access to the main kitchen and refrigeration in that area. That issue led to longer concession lines than they preferred, Ryan said.

If the venue were to host a similar event in the future, Ryan said the arena likely would bring in portable refrigeration.

Ryan said he “absolutely” would want the arena to host a president again.

“It was a great experience for our entire team, and I thought for the city as a whole,” he said. “Any time you can host a president of the United states, it’s a huge honor.”

Police assessment

Youngstown police Lt. Brian Butler, responsible for security both on and off the arena site, said things ran smoothly with no major traffic or parking problems.

He said officers with Youngstown State University police and the deputies with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office were also a great help, especially in sending rally-goers to additional parking lots once the main Covelli lot was full.

Butler said one advantage he and others had was a week to plan for the event and to assemble enough resources for the visit.

Another advantage was the site itself, Butler said. The Covelli Centre has hosted several events that drew a crowd similar in size to the rally, so police already have experience in handling a large amount of traffic downtown in a short period.

Another advantage the city has is it has hosted political events for major national candidates before, so it has experience working with the Secret Service.

There also were enough officers working the rally so that officers working their regular patrol shifts were not needed for the most part. Butler said some officers were called in briefly to help move protesters back when the motorcade arrived.

A couple of protesters were removed from the event but there were no arrests inside or outside the arena related to the rally or the protests, Butler said.

He added his office has not received a complaint from a man whose removal was captured on video and went national after it was posted on social media Wednesday. The video shows the man being grabbed first by the back of his shirt, then the front of his shirt close to the man’s throat.

Butler said police would investigate if a complaint is filed.

Politicians’ view

Both Mahoning County political party chairmen reported a smooth day.

Republican Party Chairman Mark Munroe said he has been inundated with phone calls and text messages from people congratulating him on how the event turned out.

He noted though the president had some delays in D.C., the rally started just about on time.

“I think all of the security issues were well-handled. In spite of the large number of tickets that were requested, the crowd management seemed to be pretty good,” Munroe said. “I talked to people both inside and outside the event, and, to a person, they were pleased. There was concern that some of the people outside were not going to have a good experience. I think in general they did.”

For Munroe, the presidential visit set off a flurry of preparations. He was on the phone daily with people from the president’s team, he said.

“When they plan a trip like this, they need local support to make this stuff happen. They need advice about venues, about the participants, they need volunteers to help make stuff happen,” he said. “We provided drivers for the motorcade. We provided volunteers at the Covelli Centre” and at AMVETS.

In all, he estimated that about 100 local volunteers helped with the event.

Munroe, who has helped with past presidential visits to the Valley during his 40 years in local politics, noted one lesson he took away from the experience: the importance of being responsive to the needs of the White House staff in charge of these events.

Overall, he said, “Nothing like this ever goes perfectly. There are always bumps in the road. But on balance, it was a fabulous event.”

David Betras, the county’s Democratic Party chairman who led a protest in the city’s Central Square, said things went smoothly on his side, too.

“No one was arrested. No one was ejected. It was peaceful,” he said.

The protest also required quite a bit of preparation, Betras said. Organizers had to secure a permit from the city, set up fencing, and hire security.

Struthers visit

Before his talk at Covelli, the president stopped in Struthers for a more intimate gathering at AMVETS Post 44, 305 Elm St. The event, included press and about 150 veterans, but was closed to the public.

Police were in the area to direct traffic. While Trump was speaking, a woman hit Struthers Detective Emma Brenoel with a car and then drove away.

The accident happened about 6:30 p.m., just blocks from the AMVETS post. Police say the car’s mirror clipped Brenoel in the side while turning left from Elm Street onto Fifth Street.

Brenoel sustained a shoulder injury and was released from a hospital after an X-ray. City officials said Brenoel is sore, but otherwise fine.

Police believe the driver is a white woman between 65 and 70 with dark hair and glasses. She is believed to have been driving a silver 2014 Kia Sorento. A license-plate number is not available, but the car had a handicap sticker. If you have any information, contact police at 330-759-9849 and ask for Capt. Dan Mamula.

Apart from the hit-and-run, Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker said Trump’s visit to the city went off without a hitch.

The city used its full roster, including reserve and part-time officers, to coordinate traffic and security in partnership with the Secret Service. Officers with Campbell, Lowellville and Poland provided backup, as part of the city’s mutual-aid agreement.

The city also used its large firetrucks to block traffic surrounding the AMVETS post and called the street department to put up barricades.

Officials are still crunching numbers, but Stocker estimates the presidential visit cost the city between $8,000 and $9,000.

“People were really honored to have the president in our town,” Stocker said. “It really was a historic event.”