Ridge vows maximum security for convention
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge promised yesterday that his department will take "extraordinary measures" to provide security for the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July.
"We will provide the same level of security we bring to inaugurals," Ridge told reporters during a press conference following a speech to students at a leadership forum at Harvard Business School.
He noted that the Department of Homeland Security last year designated both the Democratic Convention and the Republican Convention, which is scheduled for August in New York, as "national special security events."
That designation, the highest given by the agency, means that the Secret Service will oversee the conventions, working with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as well as other institutions and groups.
"In the world in which we live now and for the foreseeable future, we're taking extraordinary measures to protect and provide the security around our national political events for both our parties," said Ridge, adding that at the same time it's important to "celebrate the transparency and the openness of our political system."
Ridge said that "the resources and the people will be available to work with Mayor Menino and Governor Romney and everybody else. They'll make sure everybody has a good time and we'll make sure that the maximum amount of security is brought to the event."
Ridge said he met yesterday with Romney, who is a member of the homeland security advisory committee, to talk about funding, intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies, and other issues.
He said that Massachusetts was ahead of many states in developing a strategic plan for preparing for and responding to possible terrorist attacks. Ridge said Romney's office was distributing federal homeland security money the way federal authorities believed was best, favoring a regional approach that allowed many departments to share equipment and resources.
"I think this is a state where they haven't had some of the same kinds of problems and frustrations with distributing dollars that they've had in other states," Ridge said.
Ridge said he was unaware that the FBI was investigating past homeland security grants awarded by James Jajuga, the former state Public Safety secretary. 