Local law enforcement pays hefty price for candidate visits

Virginia's role as a swing state came with a price. Every time the candidates rolled their operations into town, it required police agencies to work overtime to manage their visit.

There are actually quite a few levels of taxpayer dollars that go into a presidential candidate visit, some of them you'd pay for no matter where they go, like Secret Service protection. But locally the tab adds up because local law enforcement plays a big part in protecting the people, and managing the big crowds and traffic.

We inquired into just the cost to State Police, only part of the total. In most cases local police and sometimes fire and other services are needed. This is just State Police.

Here is what we found, from July to the end of October; VSP paid more than $85 thousand in overtime.

What were they doing? Plenty.

Like advance meetings with Secret Service, planning traffic routes and traffic control as well as coordinating and executing escorts. Those are those big motorcades that may have interrupted your commute. The also provide on- site security and protection.

But keep in mind, this is just the overtime. If State Police are assigned to a motorcade or candidate detail duty during their normal work hours it doesn't go into this total.

It also doesn't include meals, lodging or any fuel expenses connected to these special assignments.

The campaigns pay for much of the rally expenses on their own. Things like staging, facility rental and their own transportation are all paid for with campaign dollars. But for anything related to security, they do not reimburse the state or local governments one penny. 

That means you foot the bill. Perhaps another reason to be glad this election is over.

The full numbers are below:

(Provided by the Virginia State Police)

Dignitary Protection/Security/Traffic Control by Virginia State Police

Presidential Candidate Visits to Virginia

 

Week Ending…	Hours of OT	OT Paid by VSP
7/14/12	283.2	$9,054.82
8/18/12	190.1	$6,031.17
9/1/12	786.4	$24,486.32
9/8/12	191.5	$6,397.17
9/15/12	148.2	$2,349.05
9/29/12	122.5	$4,323.28

Above does include BOTH Democrat and GOP presidential campaign visits to VA.

 

Democrat Presidential Campaign Visits to VA:

Week Ending…	Hours of OT	OT Paid by VSP
10/6/12	160.8	$5,919.04
10/13/12	148	$4,395.89
10/20/12	313.1	$10,639.65

 

Republican Presidential Campaign Visits to VA:

Week Ending…	Hours of OT	OT Paid by VSP
10/6/12	210.9	$6,869.59
10/13/12	192	$3,659.67
10/20/12	31.5	$1,447.85

 

TOTAL OT costs from above: $85,573.50

Comments

[Mars]

Why is it when we have an event at a public school we have to pay for our officers. Might I sat that it is expensive! The candidates should foot this bill!

[Jerelwilmore]

Its "Democratic Presidential Campaign Visits to VA," not "Democrat Presidential Campaign Visits to VA."

Also, your study doesn't talk about all the benefits of being a swing state, including all the spending both campaigns did in Virginia: advertisements, rental real estate, employment, catering, and many other expenditures.

A little overtime for our first responders is a small price to pay for these benefits.

[Joe Smuck]

Yea, and how about when Hussian Obama visits your community and never mentions one word of thanks or even recognizes the first responders or local officials. Exactly what happened in Prince George. But he sure acknowledged the hell out of Petersburg, called out names of their elected officials, and gave praise to VA State University. Oh well, Prince George taxpayers had to pay those bills.

[Brian K Pearce]

This expense goes directly back to those who cannot afford it for in the long run it ends up running up costs of everything for folks. While we are talking about something that is negative how about this for thought there is no bigger felon in the land than Bill Clinton yet every time the democrat party wants to draw a huge crowd who do they call on it's Slick Willy himself. He was an Impeached President one who lied and was Convicted and yet folks still flock to him like flies WHY?

[Vasev]

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