Preparing for Election Day: 10/28/2020 Update

Titan Security Group attended the recent security briefing on October 27th hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office, Chicago Police Department (CPD), and the Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC). The call included approximately 700 attendees from a variety of industries and sectors to discuss upcoming events. The City of Chicago has a 10-day preparedness plan that will take effect on Friday, October 30th. 

The following information should be considered to ensure your site is prepared for any potential security and safety matters.

• Previous infrastructure protection plans will inform preparedness efforts during this time.
• The Wabash Street Bridge will be raised on November 3rd; the other bridges will only be raised as needed.
• The Board of Elections will be included among the agencies present at the Emergency Operations Center that will be stood up by the OEMC.
• A supporting Business Operations Center (BOC) at Hyatt Regency will open on November 2nd.
• Messaging will be coordinated via the OEMC Joint Information Center (JIC).
• CPD officers and assets will increase their presence and visibility at upcoming events.
• Additional security staff is a positive resource for law enforcement.
• It is helpful to position security personnel in high-visibility locations.
• Avoid “Solo staffing” in buildings, if possible.
• It’s important to verify information or incidents before sharing with others.
• CPD to increase focus on identifying stolen vehicles within the Loop.
• Consider access-control measures and limiting points of entry for buildings.
• Inspect buildings and facilities for pre-event surveillance or possible projectiles.
• Verify operational status and positioning of security cameras.
• Boarding-up is not explicitly recommended; it is up to individual businesses to decide whether or not to do so.
• External triggers, such as police-involved shootings, may impact local activity.
• Traffic control will be in place, similar to earlier instances of civil unrest.
• The Mayor and Governor have discussed using the Illinois National Guard, which is available but not yet deployed. 

Communication Channel Resources

• Security Slack Communication Channel
• ChiBiz text messaging alerts via www.chicago.gov/chibizalerts

Titan Security is positioned to support our clients in preparation for the upcoming Election Day.  We are currently experiencing a high volume of additional coverage service requests, please make any requests as soon as possible. Additional coverage service requests can be made by contacting your Titan representative or the Titan office at (312) 902-3400. Once confirmed, extra security coverage can be cancelled up to four (4) hours prior to the shift but extra coverage may not be available closer to the election date.  Note: All extra coverage requests that result in overtime hours worked by Titan staff will be billable at overtime rates due to the nature and timing of this extra service.  

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).