Trump shooting: campaign events are 'going to change their protocol' says former police commander
PHOENIX - The Secret Service agents are the front line of protection against a president or former president, but the protection of a Presidential candidate is always on the forefront of priorities for multiple agencies.
The FBI is taking over to conduct a deeper investigation into this shooting, but even local police departments play a role in providing security at the event.
Former police commander reacts to shooting
Seeing former President Donald Trump grazed by a bullet at a political rally is something that shocked former Phoenix Police commander Jeff Hynes.
"It was that close?!" Hynes said.
"When you see the coverage and just the bodies of the Secret Service jumping in and protecting the person that they're guarding, especially being a former president, it looks like they were instant."
Hynes said security for Trump will now be taken to the next level.
"They're going to change their protocol from a standpoint of he'll probably have protective glass in front of him now when he does his speeches. You're going to see new action plans developed not only with law enforcement; you're also going to see it with the Secret Service. There's going to be a much higher cooperative agreement and cooperation between local law enforcement and Secret Service," Hynes said.
Hynes believes the new protocol will be noticeable to the public.
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"You will see a difference in the configuration on the stages," he added. "You're going to see the difference as he comes into the event and works the event. They're going to go into an incredibly protective mode and unfortunately for the public, it's going to affect the way that campaigns are done."
Hynes said this will change the security protection on both sides
He said the protocol changes will surely affect the Biden campaign as well.
"Since this has happened to Trump, it's going to go up on both sides. This just took this campaign to the next level," Hynes said.
One of those changes could be to move to mostly indoor events, if not exclusively for the rest of the campaign.
It would be a move to eliminate the variables that were in play today at the outdoor rally.