WASHINGTON DC, USA — The recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump has ignited a heated dispute between the United States Secret Service and local law enforcement, each accusing the other of failing to secure the building from which the gunman fired.
This marks the most significant security breach involving the Secret Service in four decades.
The public rift is a stark departure from the typically cooperative relationship between the Secret Service and local police, raising concerns about potential erosion of trust that could compromise future security operations.
In a press conference at the Secret Service’s Chicago Field Office on June 4, 2024, ahead of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the agency.
Conflicting Responsibilities
During an interview with ABC News on Monday, Cheatle asserted that local police were present in the building at the time of the shooting and were responsible for securing it, located roughly 120 to 150 meters from the rally stage.
“There was local police in that building – there was local police in the area that were responsible for the outer perimeter of the building,” Cheatle said.
A source familiar with the investigation informed CNN that snipers from the Butler County Emergency Services Unit were stationed inside the building on the second floor, overseeing the crowd at the rally.
Former Secret Service agents, however, challenged Cheatle’s remarks. One former agent told CNN, “The Service is responsible for everything, not just the inner perimeter. They should make sure all of this is covered.”
“Officers inside a building – that’s not mitigating a high-ground vulnerability,” the former agent added.
Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, defended local officers, stating, “Whatever happened in Butler, this was not a failure of the local, state, or federal officers on the ground who responded to the shots fired at former President Trump. They acted heroically and put their lives on the line to protect everyone at the event and we must recognize that.”
Miscommunication and Security Failures
A Secret Service spokesman told CNN that the agency did not sweep the building where the gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired at Trump.
Instead, this task was assigned to local law enforcement, which did not have personnel stationed at the post.
Video footage analysed by CNN showed attendees in the crowd noticing the gunman on the roof nearly two minutes before the shots were fired.
Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, emphasised the importance of the trust between the Secret Service and local law enforcement, warning that recent statements by the Secret Service could undermine this relationship.
“There is going to be an erosion of this trust caused by the Secret Service’s injudicious statements,” Pasco told CNN. “This is kind of a betrayal by leadership of the Secret Service by the brave men and women who go out there and do an extraordinarily great professional jobs every day.”
Pasco also criticized Cheatle for delaying her response to the incident, saying, “Apparently it took two days for the buck to stop.”
Local Officials and Secret Service at Odds
During a press conference late Saturday, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Colonel George Bivens stated that the Secret Service was primarily responsible for securing the rally.
“Well, Secret Service always has the lead on securing something like this, but then they work very closely … I hate to use the word routine, but it is a fairly routine matter for all of our agencies to work jointly with the Secret Service,” Bivens said.
Local law enforcement sources confirmed that Butler Township Police also responded to the shooting, with one officer reportedly firing a weapon at the gunman.
Biden’s Perspective
President Joe Biden expressed his confidence in the Secret Service despite the incident, noting their readiness to risk their lives for those they protect.
“I feel safe with the Secret Service,” Biden told NBC’s Lester Holt on Monday.
“What we did see was the Secret Service who responded risked their lives … They were ready to give their lives to the president. The question is should they have anticipated what happened? Should they have done what they needed to do to prevent this from happening? That’s a question – that’s an open question.”
Biden also acknowledged the critical role of local law enforcement in the protection efforts.
“There’s a major piece of this that relates to domestic, local law enforcement. They play a large role,” the president said. “I’m not saying they weren’t competent, either. I’m just saying it’s a complicated process.”
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