(gift; $5:than






DWIGHT C. JONES
MAYOR

July 1,2016

SAIC Doug Mease

300 Arboretum Place
Suite 500

Richmond, Virginia 23236

Dear Special Agent Mease:

I?m writing to address the cost that public safety agencies incurred as the result of major political
events for the candidates for President of the United States.

On Friday, June 10, 2016, the presumptive Republican nominee held a campaign event at the
Richmond Coliseum. It was announced with very little advance notice. The brief time to make
preparations, coupled with initial estimates of 12,000 possible attendees, required a coordinated
and massive planning and operational effort by a number of local public safety agencies.

In light of the much?publicized violent incidents and public disorder arising at previous Trump
campaign events in Albuquerque, San Jose, and other cities, the coordination of adequate
personnel and resources took on even greater importance and was especially crucial to ensuring a
safe event in Richmond. We took seriously our duty and responsibility to safeguard and protect
all of the attendees and observers, as well as the many others who chose to exercise their right to
peacefully assemble and protest. We were committed to ensuring that the rally was held without
incident, and in the end, there were no major incidents or disorder due in great part to the proper
planning and professionalism of our public safety employees. That success did not go unnoticed.
and the Richmond Police Department has been contacted by officials from other cities where
future campaign events are being planned, to seek our insights and recommendations.

Ultimately, the security planning and marshalling of the necessary personnel and resources for
large political events creates a significant financial cost. It is a financial burden that is often not
borne by the event organizers or the Federal government, but rather by the host city. For
example, the combined public safety and security costs to the City of Richmond for the Trump
Campaign rally was $41,119.39. As the capital city of a battleground state in this year?s election,
Richmond may very well be the site of additional political events in the four months leading up
to the general election.

900 East Broad Street, Suite 201 0 Richmond, Virginia 23219 0 (804) 646-7970

Given the necessary, but expensive costs of ensuring the proper safety and security for these
events, we respectfully request that the associated public safety costs be considered, accounted
for, and included in the planning and scheduling of such events.

Sincerely,

WW

Dwight C. Jones