BOSTON (WHDH) - The Republican National Convention is less than a week away and the Massachusetts State Police is sending troopers to help with security.
The specially-trained troopers will be sworn in by mayor of Cleveland, giving them the full powers of the Cleveland Police Department. State Police said the troopers have “extensive training in crowd control and civil disturbance response.”
Thousands of police officers from around the country will be in Cleveland to help keep the convention safe and peaceful. Sources said the troopers will be housed in nearby college dorms and will be largely used for infrastructure protection and securing sites.
Cleveland’s police labor union has questioned the city’s preparedness for the convention. The union said front-line officers are poorly trained and have shoddy equipment. Law enforcement experts have also pointed out that the police department is already working with the Department of Justice after several high-profile police shootings.