Secret Service blames local police, says
they were tasked with securing properties
surrounding Trump’s Pa. rally
New York Post,
by
Victoria Churchill
&
Alex Oliveira
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
7/15/2024 8:36:26 AM
BUTLER, Pa. — The Secret Service blamed local police for failing to secure the rooftop from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, insisting it was outside the perimeter the federal agency was tasked with protecting.
Instead, securing and patrolling the factory grounds of AGR International Inc. — located about 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking Saturday — was the responsibility of local Pennsylvania police, Secret Service representative Anthony Gugliemi said, according to the New York Times.
The Secret Service was only tasked with covering the grounds where Trump’s rally took place, with local police being recruited to assist with those efforts and
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
Bur Oak 7/15/2024 8:38:23 AM (No. 1756981)
Just like the rest of the Biden administration, never take responsibility.
42 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
PChristopher 7/15/2024 8:40:42 AM (No. 1756984)
Oh, of course...Let the finger-pointing begin! It's just so repulsive and juvenile!
27 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
seamusm 7/15/2024 8:45:43 AM (No. 1756988)
Blaming the locals is SOP after a screw-up. But it is in fact true that the Secret Service assigns some of the security to the local/state police while they handle the immediate scene. It is also true that no security is perfect and opportunities for catastrophe always exist. That Trump is alive is God's Grace but a father did die protecting his family. WE must assume responsibility for his wife and children as if they were our own. They are also a Gold Star family.
31 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
laurenc 7/15/2024 8:47:53 AM (No. 1756991)
Their mission is to protect POTUS, and they outsourced it to Barney Fife. Thanks Brandon!
26 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
stevendm 7/15/2024 8:49:04 AM (No. 1756994)
I wonder if the Secret Service, part of the executive branch of government, was told to "guard President Trump, nudge nudge. Snap snap. Grin grin, wink wink, say no more ".
14 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
bpl40 7/15/2024 8:51:20 AM (No. 1756997)
The SS is tasked with protecting Trump. Period. This 'Here is where my responsibility ends and some one else's starts' is simply not professional. Not acceptable. I hope Congress hammers them.
32 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Jethro bo 7/15/2024 9:00:09 AM (No. 1757009)
Right after it happened I told my wife that the SS and FBI would blame local law enforcement. Their playbook is more dependable that the Kneepad Media's Don't wait for the investigation, blame the locals. And we 'trust' federal institutions with our lives? How sad.
24 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
greyseal 7/15/2024 9:05:10 AM (No. 1757014)
So local LEOs were responsible for the SS CA team on the roof behind Trump spotting the shooter but not taking the shot first (what were the rules of engagement or did the locals control that too?). If they had eyes on, why didn't they dispatch officers to engage and take Crooks out? Why didn't the officer who supposedly stumbled upon Crooks on the rooftop or his partner notify the SS that they had a shooter?
Where is SS Director and DEI hire Kim Cheatle? Why is she not answering questions? Why hasn't she been fired? Why hasn't Mayorkas (her boss) resigned...?!
So many questions, so few answers.
greyseal
28 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
EJKrausJr 7/15/2024 9:05:44 AM (No. 1757015)
Who from the USSS was in charge at Butler PA. Was there any communication when 45 entered the speaking area? Did anyone check on areas of concern? IOWs, Who was in charge? Obviously no one from the USSS. After all DEI comes first, then the mission to protect the President. Cheadle, resign now. Your agency is F@@@3d. Resign, you failed. You are the keystone cops no longer SS agents.
15 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Mofongo 7/15/2024 9:05:48 AM (No. 1757016)
They own the protection of the President. If they want to farm some of it out, fine. Trust but VERIFY!!!
13 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
essgee1952 7/15/2024 9:24:04 AM (No. 1757031)
So their defense is "it's not my job"???? We're in deeper trouble than I thought.
18 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 7/15/2024 9:25:45 AM (No. 1757033)
Maybe, maybe not but I no longer believe anything from our federal government. Whatever trust I once had is long gone.
10 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Birddog 7/15/2024 9:26:52 AM (No. 1757035)
two cell towers and a water tower provided perfect perches for an overwatch, could have covered the entire area out 1/2 mile or more.
Where did that ladder come from?? Did the perp bring it? If it belonged to the glass company, why was it sitting outside?
SS and State police have had a LOT of experience doing this sort of things, heck Biden spends more time in Pa than he does at the whitehouse, always has, nearly all of his appearances are in Pa. Trump held a prior rally at this same venue in Nov 2016, just prior to election day, so they had "Practice" with the location and the locals. And the locals had some practice experience working with state/federal protective details.
Secret service didn't send their "A Team", most of them were tasked to Bidens travels, home, the venue in Austin he was prepping to fly into for the Lester Holt interview, tasked to Kamlalala's travels, in Wisc doing the set up for the RNC, tasked to still providing security to the NATO people still in country...and likely many getting "Days Off" after the all hands for NATO, and the pending All Hands for the RNC.
Now watch Biden, Mayorkis and the SS Figure head blame Trump and try to demand he not do anymore Big Raliies, or outdoor events, it is also probable that Biden has timed his home/beachouse, private fundraising event travels to keep the best SS Teams busy when Trump has a major event..
11 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
MickTurn 7/15/2024 9:28:10 AM (No. 1757036)
Really, that's your excuse? How pathetic!
8 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Marthinius57 7/15/2024 9:31:13 AM (No. 1757040)
Word of the day : Jurisdictional.
5 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 7/15/2024 9:32:35 AM (No. 1757044)
NEVER in my life do I recall hearing the U.S. Secret Service blaming ANYONE for ANYTHING.
DEI is directly responsible for one man's death.
Dis-allowing the counter-sniper element on the roof from engaging the threat, only 130 yards away, was a result of DEI policies brought to the Agency by Kimberly Cheatle.
DEI must DIE.
23 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Hazymac 7/15/2024 9:35:37 AM (No. 1757047)
Kimberly Cheatle, head of USSS, was recruited from Pepsico. Let that sink in.
16 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
stablemoney 7/15/2024 9:39:56 AM (No. 1757052)
The SS has the responsibility to protect Trump. If they use additional personnel, the SS is responsible for their training, procedures, and supervision. It is obvious here that the grounds surrounding the rally were not secured.
15 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
bighambone 7/15/2024 10:07:55 AM (No. 1757076)
At this point, before any investigation is even initiated, the Secret Service should not be blaming anyone.
7 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
udanja99 7/15/2024 10:13:22 AM (No. 1757081)
I still want to know how Crooks knew that that particular rooftop would not be guarded by LEOs.
22 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
Safari Man 7/15/2024 10:16:32 AM (No. 1757084)
Ok, you guard this roof, but if you see anyone in camo with an AR-15 pointed at Trump, do NOT shoot until after he's gotten several rounds off, mmmmkay?
13 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
Birddog 7/15/2024 10:41:54 AM (No. 1757119)
Campaigns regularly "Bracket" opponents events, schedule one just before or just after to get (particularly) local media coverage, Trumps event was loooong planned and announced. Bidens team sent Kamlalala to Philly, and Jill to Pittsburg, on suddenly sceduled events...BOTH of which required full SS Protective details larger than Trumps, AND required State Police numbers as large or larger than Trumps...because they scheduled their events at the very same time as Trumps podium time, Local/state News had to not use Full Live Coverage of Trump, had to cover all three "equally".
Keep in mind SS has to cover the site the protectee is departing, the motorcade routes, the airports on each end, more motorcade, the venue location itself, then the same motorcades and airports for their return. Jill is tier one protectee, Kamalala tier two...Trump is a mere "Former" president, of which there are many. Tier 4.
7 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
Socio 7/15/2024 10:45:18 AM (No. 1757123)
From what I understand local police at a Secret Service secured area are basically just fixtures put in place as a deterrents.
That if there is a bad guy and a local cop pulls their weapon to stop him they too will identified and a threat and shot by Secret Service. That they are basically helpless to the citizens, to whoever the Secret Service is guarding and themselves.
1 person likes this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
DVC 7/15/2024 11:03:49 AM (No. 1757139)
This came out in an interview printed yesterday with a retired FBI agent who said he worked many times on protection details with the SS. He said that the standard procedure was that SS secured "the venue" and all the surrounding areas were secured by the local police.
Butler, PA is a small town, total population 13,000. The Butler police department has 20 total uniformed officers. Butler is the county seat of Butler County, with a population of a bit under 200,000. The Butler County sheriff's department doesn't seem to post total number of officers online, but my densely populated county in eastern Kansas has a popultion about 3 times that of Butler County, and has 500 deputies. If
the lower density Butler County has the same ratio, it would be 166. Probably is fewer because of low density population. My guess is that the total deputies is maybe 100. Add in all the 20 city cops and you have 120. Since this is three shifts that is 40 available on any shift. And unless they stripped ALL police away from the whole county and whole city, probably only 1/3 of those were assigned to security.
My guess is that local cops had maybe 10-15 officers working the perimeter area security. And....the officers in a city of 13,000 are often not getting a lot of training, they may not have really considered that
"secure this parking lot area" meant anything other than walk around and see what is going on at ground level. Unless some SS folks gave the local cops some sort of a briefing about securing roofs, sadly it may not have occurred to the Barney and Andy folks, used to a more Mayberry type of policing style.
I am not actually all that shocked by this. Small town cops don't normally deal with the kind of insanity and violence that big cities routinely have to deal with. Often they really aren't well trained, and have a more laid back, Officer Friendly sort of outlook and lifestyle. And, frankly, I wish more of the country was peaceful and sane enough that this sort of policing was all that was ever needed.
3 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
David Key 7/15/2024 11:19:54 AM (No. 1757160)
When you screw up point the finger and someone else. Pathetic.
3 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
bighambone 7/15/2024 11:26:09 AM (No. 1757169)
The US Secret Service is an entity of the Federal Executive branch. Details of Secret Service officers are assigned to protect the President and former Presidents. For all intents and purposes Biden, as the current US President, is the Executive branch of the Federal Government and is responsible for all actions or inactions by his subordinates assigned to the Federal Executive branch in DC and beyond. There is no way that Biden can duck out of those responsibilities. Biden now claims that he will order that Trump’s Secret Service detail be reinforced, but why is that necessary, unless Trump’s already assigned Secret Service detail was inadequate from the get-go?
2 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
Rinktum 7/15/2024 11:57:48 AM (No. 1757222)
Sorry. Does not fly with me. The Secret Service is the agency tasked to protect the President. Local agencies may assist but it is the SS’s responsibility to make sure everything is tightened down. You get the glory, you do the work!
5 people like this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
jhpeters2 7/15/2024 12:01:44 PM (No. 1757228)
Nonsense. This line of logic will fall apart like a cheap suit. The thread is being pulled as we speak. Witness the raid instruction for MaraLago for an example of the lengths Biden's regime will go through to achieve their ends to maintain power. The American people and the world community ain't gonna buy the logic put forth by this regime.
3 people like this.
Reply 29 - Posted by:
DVC 7/15/2024 12:21:21 PM (No. 1757244)
What has reportedly been Standard Operating Procedure for previous decades apparently needs to be changed. There was an interview yesterday which said the same thing, I don't think that this is a lie, too easy to check.
But, clearly it did not work. If local police are going to secure the area outside the venue, they need to be trained for that. Maybe in NYC or LA, they have officers both trained and mentally in the proper mode for this stuff without added briefing/training. But in a town with 20 total cops? I doubt it. They probably go to some central state police academy or maybe don't actually go thru any formal police academy at all. We'll probably be hearing more about this.
1 person likes this.
Reply 30 - Posted by:
Geoman 7/15/2024 12:23:39 PM (No. 1757248)
In these type of multi-agency joint operations, the leading feds , those with the primary responsibility to achieve the specific mission, the USSS in this case, always provide and ensure the direction, coordination, and communications among all parties - all of which were miserably absent on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
2 people like this.
Reply 31 - Posted by:
caljeepgirl 7/15/2024 12:39:28 PM (No. 1757262)
What #15 said. CLEARLY, that policy needs to be revisited bigtime!!
1 person likes this.
Reply 32 - Posted by:
Birddog 7/15/2024 12:55:33 PM (No. 1757281)
Even for the conventions, Team Trump asked that "Protest Areas", which Milwaukee had placed less than a block away be pushed back to at LEAST out of sightline to the Convention halls, and the entrances/exits where people would be coming in and out, secure the parking areas and hotel routes. They contrasted that with the APPROVED security for the Democrats in Chicago that has the nearest "Protest area" two/Three MILES away.
2 people like this.
Who couldn't see this excuse coming??!
0 people like this.
Reply 34 - Posted by:
anniebc 7/15/2024 5:13:16 PM (No. 1757538)
Trust but verify, SS. You are responsible for the president's safety, period. Stop.
0 people like this.
Reply 35 - Posted by:
anniebc 7/15/2024 5:13:25 PM (No. 1757539)
Trust but verify, SS. You are responsible for the president's safety, period. Stop.
0 people like this.
Reply 36 - Posted by:
paral04 7/16/2024 10:43:08 AM (No. 1758152)
I guess they had the same SS leadership when President Kennedy was shot. Good work guys and gals!
0 people like this.
Reply 37 - Posted by:
NYbob 7/16/2024 4:36:42 PM (No. 1758565)
Fire them all, minus pensions.
0 people like this.
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