How is Northern Michigan preparing for a visit from a high-level official?

NORTHERN MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) — Forty-eight hours after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the FBI, Secret Service and other agencies are continuing their investigation.

Authorities said one bullet grazed Trump, forcing him off the stage. The shooter’s motive remains unclear and many questions about how he was able to get so close remain unanswered.

Both current President Biden and Trump have made campaign stops in Northern Michigan. The First Lady was in Northern Michigan two weeks ago.

It raises the question: How do local communities prepare for the visit of a high-ranking official?

All hands are on deck and a lot of planning is going on before the officer heads out to events in Northern Michigan.

The Secret Service plans as much as it can, but unlike law enforcement in Northern Michigan, it does not have local knowledge.

“There are a lot of special teams coming into the area,” said Lt. Derrick Carroll of the Michigan State Police. “The Secret Service team comes in advance, scouts the area and talks with local authorities. This is not something you take lightly. It is very serious.”

Visits by current and former presidents are not uncommon in Northern Michigan, and police officers such as Captain Chris Clark and Lt. Carroll of Grand Traverse have participated in numerous briefings.

“Cooperation between all law enforcement agencies is our best bet at dealing with a threat,” said Captain Clark.

“Everyone has a specific job and the whole point is for everyone to do their job properly,” said Lt. Carroll. “Hopefully we can avoid a situation like this.”

The two explained that the Secret Service is reaching out to local law enforcement agencies, telling them what resources they need and asking for feedback on their security plans.

“I’ll use Vice President Pence as an example when he came to Mackinac Island in September of 2019. We have the local knowledge system, so they might be planning a route and plotting a route from the airport to Mackinac Island, and we kind of said, well, here’s another possibility you should consider based on these circumstances,” explained Lt. Carroll. “The unique situation on Mackinac Island is how do you get him out in an emergency. What’s the best route?”

This is not only about ensuring the safety of the high-ranking official, but also about protecting the people who meet that person.

“We want to make sure that people from the community who attend the event are safe, whether it be in terms of traffic or as spectators,” Captain Clark said.

Both local and state police cannot disclose all the measures they take to keep officers safe. However, state police said they check everything on the planned route from point A to point B. Something like a broken-down car would be checked to make sure it is not something intended to cause trouble.