This morning the head of state from a small, politically insignificant, but well-known county attended worship services at the church I attend. He had secret service protection and security was elevated, but not high.
I believe a fair number of people carry concealed at our church and the secret service did not seem the least bit concerned about the issue. They placed the group near an exit and directed foot traffic away from that exit. However, there is a lot of activity during our worship service. All the kids and many parents came to the front of the auditorium for mothers day flowers, roughly 60 people exited about 15 minutes into the service to do to a children's worship service, several folks went back and forth from their seats and the front as participants, and a few people got up and walked in and out, presumably for restroom breaks, etc.
Many times people casually walked within a few feet the visiting dignitary. The secret service, as far as I can tell, were never closer than about 12 feet from him. They posted one guy by the "secured" entrance, outside the auditorium but looking frequently into the auditorium through a little window in the door. The entrance was still used by a variety of people who were allowed to pass. A few others were posted in discreet locations. Unless they had additional officers outside the building (I have no idea) then the entrances were not all covered very well.
The primary focus of the security seemed to me to have local members, with radios posted in view of the entrances. I guessed that they were instructed to radio the security office if a stranger or suspicious person entered. We had a large number of visitors but it looked like most could easily be identified as friends or relatives of current members.
There were about 600 people in total. There is also a balcony which had no visible SS presence but which had a clear view the dignitary.
My thought is that it was viewed as a very low risk situation by the SS but it would have made me nervous to be in charge of this guy's security without locking things down a little better.
I watched the SS guys closely to see if they printed. I didn't see anything.
I believe a fair number of people carry concealed at our church and the secret service did not seem the least bit concerned about the issue. They placed the group near an exit and directed foot traffic away from that exit. However, there is a lot of activity during our worship service. All the kids and many parents came to the front of the auditorium for mothers day flowers, roughly 60 people exited about 15 minutes into the service to do to a children's worship service, several folks went back and forth from their seats and the front as participants, and a few people got up and walked in and out, presumably for restroom breaks, etc.
Many times people casually walked within a few feet the visiting dignitary. The secret service, as far as I can tell, were never closer than about 12 feet from him. They posted one guy by the "secured" entrance, outside the auditorium but looking frequently into the auditorium through a little window in the door. The entrance was still used by a variety of people who were allowed to pass. A few others were posted in discreet locations. Unless they had additional officers outside the building (I have no idea) then the entrances were not all covered very well.
The primary focus of the security seemed to me to have local members, with radios posted in view of the entrances. I guessed that they were instructed to radio the security office if a stranger or suspicious person entered. We had a large number of visitors but it looked like most could easily be identified as friends or relatives of current members.
There were about 600 people in total. There is also a balcony which had no visible SS presence but which had a clear view the dignitary.
My thought is that it was viewed as a very low risk situation by the SS but it would have made me nervous to be in charge of this guy's security without locking things down a little better.
I watched the SS guys closely to see if they printed. I didn't see anything.
, I was often tasked with being UC because I'm not a bulging hulk. Security should be more than you can see - a good team will have multiple layers and they will be laid-out according to the perceived threat to the principal, if any.
