PULLMAN, Wash. – Charlie Kirk was on a national tour, which included a planned stop at Montana State University in Bozeman. This tour comes five months after his previous visit to Washington State University (WSU).
Dawn Daniels, the Chief of Police at WSU, shared insights on the safety measures required for hosting such events.
WSU Police collaborates with regional law enforcement, student groups and the visiting group to identify necessary precautions. Daniels explained that they also consult other universities to learn from their experiences, although Utah Valley University had not reached out to WSU before the recent event featuring Kirk.
“When you have an event like this you have to look at the venue that it’s taking place at… what kind of venue is it, what kind of control do you have over the venue, can you even control the venue,” Daniels said. “We look at the political climate of the campus, state and nation.”
She noted the challenges of managing outdoor venues and emphasized doing the best possible to maintain control.
After each event, a debrief is conducted with all parties involved. This ensures that the extensive behind-the-scenes work and reconnaissance efforts are effectively implemented without disrupting other campus activities.
The success of these events relies heavily on collaboration before, during and after the event.
