Preparing for another presidential visit

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

Company’s coming.

That’s the word in Napa County in anticipation of President George W. Bush’s visit to the valley this evening.

The details of his last visit were shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, and law enforcement officers are getting in gear to handle the uncertainties of this week’s visit.

“Planning one of these events is a huge undertaking,” said Napa County Sheriff’s Capt. John Robertson, who participated in the 2006 presidential visit and is the lead sheriff’s department official for today’s visit. “It can take up to seven days to plan security. And then plans can change in less than hours upon the president’s arrival.”

On April 21, 2006, Bush spent the early part of the day in San Jose, where he spoke to Silicon Valley leaders at the headquarters of Cisco Systems Inc.

Word was out the president would be flown from San Jose by helicopter to Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in St. Helena, and would then travel by motorcade up Silverado Trail to Meadowood Resort, where he would spend the night.

Throngs of people flocked to the school, only to get the word Bush’s destination had changed. At 8 p.m., the presidential helicopter Marine One landed at Angwin Airport.

A motorcade, flanked by a small army of Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers, wound its way to Meadowood never touching Silverado Trail, where demonstrators had lined the shoulder of the road all day. He was inside the leafy resort by 8:30 p.m.

The next day, Earth Day, Bush had a breakfast of bran flakes, muffins and fresh fruit. He then strapped on his helmet, jumped on a mountain bike and with the Travis Air Force Base cycling team for company, pedaled his way through the bike trails at the Las Posadas State Forest in Angwin. Robertson also went along for the ride.

After biking in the park, Bush returned to Meadowood, packed his belongings and returned to Angwin Airport, where he boarded Marine One headed for his next stop — Sacramento.

Robertson said he is not at liberty to divulge any of the security plans for today’s visit, such as the number of law enforcement officers on duty, the expected costs or other details.

“We assign enough people for what we think we need to provide a safe environment for the dignitaries,” Robertson said.

“If I commented on the security planning, it would affect other future visits,” he said. “Over the last few years we have had several visits to the Napa Valley by political dignitaries and other well-known people. We have hosted Vice President Dick Cheney and the director of homeland security.”

Robertson said the monumental task of planning these events does not fall just on the sheriff’s department.

In addition to the Secret Service and federal officials, the planning also includes the California Highway Patrol and city officials from Napa, St. Helena and Calistoga.

“We work extremely well with the CHP. They are a huge asset for us,” Robertson said.

Robertson said law enforcement is not reimbursed by the federal government for providing security for the president.

Although he admits there is overtime involved, he said “we try to adjust our schedules so there is the least amount of financial impact. We are a small organization.”

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