Cops’ Performance During RNC Week: Thumbs Up, Down?

Hundreds of law enforcement officers from agencies all over the Tampa Bay area converged on downtown Tampa last week to keep the peace during the Republican National Convention.

The Tampa Police Department estimates 3,500 officers from various agencies pitched in to keep the county safe as thousands of visitors from all over the country came to town, according to spokeswoman Andrea Davis.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office alone assigned more than 1,000 deputies to the downtown area during the convention’s four-day run. Other agencies from around the county also lent some of their finest to what was likely the biggest law enforcement undertaking in Tampa Bay history.

As the RNC unfolded, stories about the professionalism of Hillsborough County’s law enforcement officers began making headlines. Police officers brokered deals with protesters to keep the peace. They held their cool as some rowdier elements . They even kept it together when were dangled in their direction.

What do you think? Did the law enforcement officers of Hillsborough do the county proud inside and outside of the event zone? Do you feel like your neighborhood was kept safe with so much focus on downtown? Share your congratulations, complaints or thoughts in the comments section.

Some TPD officers even shared their lunches with protesters camped out in the downtown area dubbed “Romneyville” for the convention. Officers heard the camp was running low on food and wanted to help, Davis said.

“They heard they were short on food, so they shared,” she said.

The lunches were provided for officers working RNC detail, Davis added. “They just shared.”

In the county’s unincorporated areas, deputies were still on patrol, making sure communities stayed safe. While they were to every call, they made their presence known.

Hillsborough’s deputies were scheduled to work before and during the RNC. This left some wondering how well they’d stand up to the task.

How do you think they did?