TCSO Details Big Event Security Protocols

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office has a specialized unit that works security for big events.

They say no security plan is perfect, but it is important to be well-organized long before the event starts.

Sergeant Darian Whittaker has been with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office for 18 years. He says every security detail he's been on comes down to three things: communication, manpower, and time to plan.

Sergeant Whittaker is in charge of the special operations team with the Sheriff's Office. He says security plans for big events often start several months in advance, and the preparations get even more intense when it comes to the former president or current president visitations.

Whittaker says there are so many organizations working together, including the Secret Service and local law enforcement.

He says it's important to have a detailed itinerary for everything the VIP is doing, to scout the location well in advance to determine where the biggest risks are, and to make sure everyone is communicating with each other.

Whittaker says there is no such thing as a perfect security detail, and after every event he takes part in, he always sits down with his team to discuss ways they can improve.

"You can mitigate and prevent some threats and that's what you are trying to do, trying to mitigate and stop as many as you can, and a lot of that is done ahead of time with good intel, doing a good site survey, having an operational plan, and having the manpower," Sgt. Whittaker said.

Whittaker says sometimes political rallies can make sudden shifts to the schedule, making it harder for law enforcement to ensure the area is secure.

He says that's why it's important for the detail to know as much about the person they are protecting as possible.