California Highway Patrol Team Sent To Republican National Convention
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Calling it an "extraordinary circumstance," California emergency managers have agreed to send an elite highway patrol team to the Republican National Convention.
The call for mutual aid reached the California governor's Office of Emergency Services, where Brad Alexander is spokesman.
"Several days ago the state of Ohio recognized the need for the Cleveland area to have more law enforcement officers as requested by the city of Cleveland. It goes up to the state level, and then it goes to this national system," said Alexander, adding that California and the CHP offered a number of officers.
They are part of a special response team that often helps with natural disasters. The last time they were deployed was during Hurricane Katrina.
Alexander says California remains adequately staffed and prepared for any emergencies that might arise here while the CHP team is away.
"Let's say we were to have something happening concurrently, you know, a major event that was unplanned like an emergency, we would just go into those same type of mutual aid systems to look for more support."
The state of Ohio will be picking up the bill for the personnel and equipment to travel to and stay in the Cleveland area.
