The head of the Fraternal Order of Police criticized the acting head of the U.S. Secret Service for blaming local authorities for not covering the rooftop where a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Trump. Patrick Yoes expressed frustration at the lack of answers provided by the Secret Service almost three weeks after the incident. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from a nearby building during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting Trump in the ear. The Secret Service has faced criticism for security lapses that allowed Crooks to get so close to the former president.
During a congressional hearing, Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the Secret Service, said they were told by local law enforcement that the building where the gunman was situated would be covered. He questioned why the assailant was not seen and implied that the state and local authorities should have had better coverage. Yoes compared Rowe’s remarks to a general blaming a tank driver for losing a battle and urged the acting director to focus on finding out what went wrong before assigning blame to local law enforcement. The security failures at the event resulted in the death of an innocent man and Trump being struck by gunfire.
The Secret Service’s assumption that state and local authorities had the building covered led to a cascade of failures during the event. Yoes pointed out that making assumptions resulted in an innocent man losing his life and a former president being injured. He questioned which agency was responsible for security at the event and who had placed the buildings beyond the security perimeter. As of now, the Secret Service has not provided adequate answers to the questions raised about the security lapses that allowed the gunman to get so close to Trump.
Yoes criticized the Secret Service for shifting blame onto local law enforcement agencies for the security failures that led to the attempted assassination of Trump. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of the Secret Service to ensure the safety of their protectee, while local agencies can only assist them with manpower and resources. The lack of accountability and clear answers from the Secret Service almost three weeks after the incident has raised concerns about the agency’s ability to protect high-profile individuals. Yoes called for a focus on finding out what went wrong rather than blaming partner agencies for security lapses.
The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired on Trump from a nearby building during a campaign rally, hitting the former president in the ear. The Secret Service has been heavily criticized for allowing Crooks to get so close to Trump, raising questions about the agency’s security protocols and procedures. The failure to prevent the assassination attempt and the lack of clear answers from the acting director of the Secret Service have fueled frustration and concern among law enforcement officials and the public. The incident has highlighted the need for improved security measures and better coordination between federal and local law enforcement agencies to prevent similar threats in the future.
The congressional hearing examining the security failures that allowed the attempted assassination of Trump revealed a lack of clarity and accountability on the part of the Secret Service. Acting Director Ronald Rowe’s comments about the responsibility of local law enforcement agencies raised further questions about the coordination and communication between different levels of law enforcement. The incident has underscored the importance of ensuring the safety of high-profile individuals and the need for a thorough investigation into the security lapses that allowed the gunman to get close to Trump. Moving forward, there is a clear need for increased transparency and accountability within the Secret Service to prevent similar security failures in the future.
