LEE COUNTY, Fla. — On the heels of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, questions are being raised about how this could've happened as the Secret Service comes under fire.
Fox 4 Senior Reporter Kaitlin Knapp went to the Lee County Sheriff's Office to talk to the sheriff, discussing what safety and security measures go into preparing for a big event in southwest Florida.
"We have to make certain that we are proactive and ready for anything that comes our way," said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
Before an event, he says his team trains, sets up operation plans and looks at the venue.
However, it can be challenging.
"There's different threats for outdoor and indoor," he said.
Places like the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Center or Hertz Arena.
They will use K9s for bomb sniffing and weapons detection.
"What we will do is we will close portions of it. After we clear it and we are 100% sure it’s clear, we seal it off," Marceno explained. "Indoor we can lock down a building, we can clear a building."
Outdoor events like spring training or a concert is a little different in terms of potential threats.
"Buildings, different rooftops, windows, people can hide in places," Marceno said. "It’s more difficult, but we still have to lock it down the same way, but it’s just a different way of locking it down."
He says they also have to control the crowd and people's safety in a large, open space.
Southwest Florida has had its fair share of high-profile visits, including former President Trump.
"Whoever it may be that’s high-profile, our team works with our local, state and federal partners," Marceno said.
He said it takes weeks to prepare for a large event. They also use drones and snipers. If there's a protest, Marceno says he will put undercover detectives in the crowd.
"All that information is simultaneously being watched by boots at headquarters, people in the Real Time Intelligence Center," he said.
Think of them as the eyes in the sky. The people inside can look at security cameras, the chopper's camera and other vantage points.
Knapp asked the Sheriff if the recent shooting is having him rethink any of his current policies and procedures.
"We’re always rethinking and creating and making certain that we have policies and procedures, which we do, we’re always looking to do better," Marceno explained.
