LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State Police (MSP) are set to deploy law enforcement officers to Milwaukee ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention.
MSP will be sending 35 troopers to assist with security and crowd management in response to an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request from the City of Milwaukee.
"We stand ready to assist our colleagues in Milwaukee with this high-profile event,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. “As state troopers, our members are trained in crowd management and scene security to ensure a safe environment for everyone. We have planned our mobilization to ensure we leave adequate staffing here in our state.”
The MSP personnel will begin a seven-day deployment on July 13. The 2024 Republican National Convention takes place from July 15 through July 17 at the Fiserv Forum and other nearby venues.
MSP personnel will primarily be used to assist with security and crowd management outside the convention center.
"The troopers assigned to the deployment will be working with other agencies from around the country that are also part of the EMAC agreement, as well as the Milwaukee Police Department," said Kim Vetter, Third District Public Information Officer.
MSP has been a member of the EMAC since 2002, with Vetter adding that the compact allows for multistate agencies to support each other for public safety incident, site security, rescue assistance, and other situations.
"We've deployed multiple times over the years, including several hurricane responses and national disaster responses," sad Vetter, as MSP has deployed troopers for Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and the Republican National Convention in 2016.
Vetter also explains that the event is managed by federal agencies, as MSP will be reimbursed from funds from those agencies, through the Milwaukee Police Department.
MSP said the City of Chicago did not make an EMAC request for assistance at the Democratic National Convention in August.