‘A mistake not to prepare’: Law enforcement readies for potential election protests
Police departments around the country have plans in place to respond to protests on and around election night, and Stanislaus County is no exception.
Protests broke out in large cities across the nation after President Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and many believe there is even more propensity for violence this year, regardless of the outcome.
“Things have really changed (since then),” said Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll. “I think all of us know we are more divided as a country than we ever have been and it’s kind of scary that no matter what side you’re on, people have dug in their heels so much that no matter what, the other side is evil.”
Stephen Routh, a professor of political science at Stanislaus State University, echoed that sentiment.
“The narrative is that it is good versus evil,” he said. “In my lifetime I have never witnessed such an exciting, edge of your seat, pins and needles election.”
Modesto Police Department will have extra officers staffed Tuesday night and Wednesday and, along with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, will have specialty units trained in crowd control on standby.
The sheriff and chiefs from all the cities have had several meetings since last week about the potential for civil unrest and the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services will serve as the point of contact should any agency require mutual aid, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Tom Letras.
Statewide the California Highway Patrol put officers on tactical alert from 5 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday. During this time, uniformed personnel will work 12-hour shifts and regular days off will be canceled, said CHP spokeswoman Jaime Coffee.
“As Election Day nears, we will continue to monitor the situation and plan our resources accordingly,” she said.
Election winner might not be known for days
Due to the high number of mail-in ballots already turned in and varying rules by state on when those ballots can start being processed, it might be days or weeks before the country knows who will be president.
Protests might not necessarily be in response to a particular result but rather the lack of one or the validity of the process.
Trump has repeatedly warned of voting fraud without offering any evidence. Because of that, there are concerns that he will use delays in vote-counting to declare results illegitimate, according to the Associated Press.
“It is remarkably unprecedented that the rhetoric from the White House is that there is errant fraud going on and that if he loses, the election is rigged,” Routh said. “That (could) motivate his supporters to come out and protest or for his opponents to come out and counter protest.”
He pointed to the flip-flopping by television media in the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore about who won in Florida, which would decide the election.
Any early results reported in this election could be used as a tactic by “supporters and opponents to try to frame the discourse ... so any change in the vote later on will be indicative of fraud,” Routh said.
“You couple with that the Black Lives Matter protests over the past year that is adding more fuel to these fires to protest violently potentially,” he said. “It is a witches’ brew of a variety of variables that are ratcheting up these tensions.”
Local agencies have been monitoring social media for chatter of election-related protests or rallies but reportedly have seen nothing of concern as of Wednesday.
Carroll said his most immediate concern is that crowds might go to the county elections office in Modesto while the votes are being counted.
Most of the unrest occurs in big cities
Both he and Letras believe that any major civil unrest will be seen in large cities, not places like Modesto, but they want to be prepared either way.
“With any county this size it would be a mistake to not prepare at all,” Letras said. “You look at a city the size of Newman and if there is a large rally there it could necessitate mutual aid assistance, even for a peaceful event. This way we have the mechanism in place.”
In addition to law enforcement coordination, he said OES has reached out to area hospitals and the Stanislaus County Office of Education to be “prepared to respond to everything that can arise” and are taking a cue from protests and rallies here since early summer.
Law enforcement has responded in varying degrees to Black Lives Matter protests in cities throughout the county, sometimes with counter protesters that included armed militia; the second “straight pride” rally in Modesto that also drew counter protesters; and “rolling rallies” in support of President Donald Trump that looked like impromptu parades with people lined up on the streets to watch.
Stanislaus County declared a state of emergency in June following several Black Lives Matter protests in order to access state and federal funding for law enforcement and facilitate a coordinated effort between area agencies.
Protesters threw rocks and other items at officers at one Modesto protest, a counter protester assaulted a protester in Oakdale and there was shouting at many of the events but Letras said they largely have been peaceful.
He hopes and expects that will continue.
“That is our hope for this election, that going forward, people will act responsibly and peacefully with respect for others.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 11:07 AM.
