Cops’ Performance During RNC Week: Thumbs Up, Down?

Now that the Republican National Convention is a memory, we want to hear your thoughts on how the county’s law enforcement agencies performed.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers from agencies all over the Tampa Bay area converged on downtown Tampa last week to keep the peace during the Republican National Convention. The Tampa Police Department estimates 3,500 officers from various agencies pitched in to keep the county safe as thousands of visitors from all over the country came to town, according to spokeswoman Andrea Davis. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office alone assigned more than 1,000 deputies to the downtown area during the convention’s four-day run. Other agencies from around the county also lent some of their finest to what was likely the biggest law enforcement undertaking in Tampa Bay history. As the RNC unfolded, stories about the professionalism of …

•  11 Comments
• Photos (3)

Budd

10:25 am on Friday, September 7, 2012

Nancy, look back at the RNC at Minneapolis Saint Paul. The "government" thought there would be no problems in their quiet little town. The protesters about destroyed their town. Lessons learned and BTW, the fences and barricades left here and went to Charlotte   more ›

RNC Bus Snags: Florida GOP Hires Own Transportation

Fed up with problems from RNC-provided buses, the Republican Party of Florida hired a charter bus company to transport its delegates.

The Republican Party of Florida is hoping delegates will have a smoother ride for the rest of the convention, now that the organization has chartered a bus company to provide transportation. On Tuesday, delegates were late to the opening day of the Republican National Convention because RNC-contracted buses were not sent to pick them up. Then the delegates were stuck on buses for hours Tuesday after the convention ended for the evening. "It was an absolute mess up," said Florida delegate Pat Fahey of Daytona Beach. Fahey did not arrive back to Palm Harbor's Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club until after 3 a.m. Wednesday. "Nobody knew where the buses were located when we came out of the convention. Everybody was sending us to a different place. …

•  19 Comments
• Photos (8)

Florida Delegates Face More Bus Problems

They’ll have to make a 15-minute hike to the convention tomorrow.

First they were left without transportation from Palm Harbor’s Innisbrook Resort to the Republican National Convention in downtown Tampa. Then they were stuck on a bus for hours following the convention Tuesday night – not making it back to the resort until after 3 a.m. Wednesday, according to TBO. Now, Florida’s Republican delegation is facing a 15-minute hike from the security perimeter to the convention as officials try to straighten out the transportation problems facing the state’s top GOPers. "The (Republican National Committee) needs to fix this bus problem … We need to take care of our delegates," TBO quoted Adam Putnam, Florida’s agriculture commissioner as saying. “It was a complete breakdown.” According to TBO, the Republican …

•  25 Comments
• Photos (1)

What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Did RNC Forget Buses to Pick Up Florida Delegates?

Delegates were ready to go today at Palm Harbor’s Innisbrook Resort, but the buses didn’t arrive to take them into Tampa.

Florida’s Republicans are already in trouble with their party for holding the primary earlier than desired. They paid the price in the number of delegates allowed at this year's Republican National Convention. They may have also helped add fuel to a fire to enhance the penalties for states that host early primaries. Now it looks like might be paying more. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the buses meant to pick up the Florida delegation at Palm Harbor’s Innisbrook Resort today at noon never arrived to bring them into downtown. “The RNC forgot to send them,” the Times story said. "Well, that sucks," the Times reported Hillsborough County GOP chair Art Wood as saying. "I guess it won't be the first glitch." Do you agree with Wood? Was it a …

•  17 Comments
• Photos (1)

USF Political Expert, Lutz Resident Staying Busy At The RNC

Having the convention in her hometown is a new experience for the veteran political analyst.

At 4 a.m. every day during the Republican National Convention, University of South Florida professor Dr. Susan MacManus will start her day walking through the doors of WFLA, Newschannel 8 in Tampa. She has served as the station's political analyst for the better part of the past 20 years. Her days won’t end until well after the 11 p.m. broadcast is over.  In between shows, MacManus will be the subject of dozens of radio, print and broadcast interviews. She'll also spend time today briefing 100 foreign journalists on behalf of the State Department.  MacManus will be answering a lot questions about “why Florida is such an important place” during this 2012 presidential election, said MacManus, who is also a professor in the USF's Government …

• Photos (1)