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Expert weighs in on where safety is at risk outside the DNC security bubble

Common Council approves Milwaukee's 2020 DNC bid.
Posted at 9:58 PM, Jul 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-12 23:41:41-04

MILWAUKEE — One year to go until the Democratic National Convention comes to Milwaukee and security preps are well underway. A current Pentagon adviser explains the biggest area of concern might not be the actual convention hall.

"It will be unlike anything we have ever seen before in terms of law enforcement," said John Rogers.

Most of that security will focus on Fiserv Forum. Rogers is a former Department of Defense official and current Pentagon adviser. He helps train federal agents in ways to prevent terrorism attacks. He said those agencies will be worried about areas in the community as well.

"They are more concerned about the containment areas outside of the security zones," said Rogers.

Those include the hotels for delegates and dignitaries along with the protest zones, where thousands of people will congregate every day of the convention.

"The first-person shooters, the suicide bombers, the knife attacks, the vehicular attacks, all of those things they will be looking at and ways to prevent those types of threats," said Rogers.

In the past, Rogers said agencies have embedded people into protest zones to prevent threats from escalating. They will also have SWAT and hostage negotiator teams standing by.

"All of this is designed to make sure nothing occurs," said Rogers.