Police prepare for convention

As Penn prepares to play host to dozens of activities related to the upcoming Republican National Convention, the University Police has spent the past six months getting ready to keep the campus safe for the many visitors expected to arrive in July.

And now, with the convention just weeks away, University Police Chief Maureen Rush said the department is "at its highest level" of preparedness for the event.

"We're anticipating anything could happen," she said, adding that the possibility of protests and increased traffic on campus have especially been the focus of recent policy training.

The Penn community might notice an increased police presence, she said, as all police officers will work 12-hour shifts with no days off to give the department "maximum strength" during the convention.

UPD officers have received special training on crowd control and urban disorder management. Although Rush said no activists groups had definitely said they would demonstrate at Penn during the RNC, she said protests remained a definite possibility for which police are preparing.

And the University has outlined a voluntary ID policy for Penn students, faculty and staff during the convention. The policy asks for those with PennCards to wear them around their neck so the police can easily delineate between the University community and visitors.

"It's geared towards unexpected issues that you can't plan for," Rush said, noting that the policy would be most helpful in the event police officers need to clear out a protest. "That was the main reason behind the ID policy."

The policy would also help ensure quicker flow into buildings, she added.

With thousands estimated to come to the University for the convention, Rush said that the police had several areas of concern -- including disruptions that might occur as a result of protests or security issues related to Penn facilities, such as the delivery of suspicious packages or bomb threats.

The UPD has been working closely both with different departments within the University and with the Philadelphia Police Department to develop response plans to different incidents that may arise. The PPD will offer support to the UPD if needed, and vice versa.

"We're optimistic that we have covered all our bases," Rush said.

As for students on campus, Rush recommended that they planned ahead to accommodate the extra foot traffic on campus.

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