Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor says the overall dissatisfaction about government on both sides of the political aisle is what worries her the most in preparing for the Republican National Convention.
Speaking to over 200 people at the Sheraton Riverwalk Hotel in an event sponsored by the Tampa Downtown Partnership, the chief made that remark while answering a question about the potential for private property of being subject to vandalism by protesters. Castor said it's her intent that there be no destruction of any sort during the week of August 27-30 in Tampa, but of course said she couldn't guarantee that.
"One of the things that keeps me up at night is that we do look at all of these past conventions. But there's one issue — everybody's angry. It's really kind of a nonpartisan thing," as many in the audience giggled. "They'll go from the RNC to the DNC to demonstrate as well."
Castor also said that social media is also a concern. "The ability to communicate instantaneously is something we're also very interested in."
For months if not years since Tampa won the bid to host the convention, city leaders have essentially said: We've got this, because we've hosted four previous Super Bowls. But Chief Castor on Wednesday cut through that rhetoric when she said that in her 28 years on the force, "This is the biggest, largest event I have ever been involved in."
This article appears in May 24-30, 2012.