With the Democratic National Convention just weeks away, he’s spending longer hours than usual planning for the event that will bring thousands of delegates — and protesters — to North Carolina’s largest city.
His department is responsible for security on Charlotte streets, while the U.S. Secret Service handles security inside convention venues.
As the convention draws near, Monroe has a series of meetings every day with his staff and federal law enforcement authorities reviewing security and coordinating plans. And he has experience keeping crowds in line: As a Washington police commander, he coordinated security for then-President Bill Clinton’s second inauguration in 1997.
But it’s not unusual for Monroe to get up in the middle of the night with an idea or call Deputy Chief Harold Medlock, who is in charge of planning, to double-check the smallest details.
“I’m driving Deputy Chief Medlock crazy right now,” Monroe said. “As you get closer and closer, we’re looking at more minute pieces. The other day I was worried about ... whether or not we’ve built out the stables (for horse patrols) and hired the veterinarians and things of that nature. You want to go out and make sure that the things that we’ve talked about and said are great ideas have been taken care of.”
The 55-year-old Monroe knows he will be judged by what happens on the streets outside Time Warner Area, where the convention will be Sept. 4 and 5, and the 74,000-seat outdoor Bank of America stadium, where President Barack Obama will accept his party’s nomination Sept. 6.
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