Andrew Gillum and the Democratic Party held a rally at Memorial Park two weeks ago. Depending on who you speak with, there were between 1000 and 2000 people attending. By all accounts the rally was a success. That is good, not because Gillum is the Democratic nominee for governor, but for democracy.

I am not writing about the rally or the gubernatorial election. I should disclose that I am a Republican and on the Republican Executive Committee Board. I am writing not as a Republican but as a Martin County and Stuart taxpayer and resident.

I want to know how a rally of a thousand to two thousand people managed to obtain a permit without paying for the officers and deputies that were assigned.

According to the public records that were provided to the REC, both the Sheriff’s Department and Stuart Police Department, the lead law enforcement agency, did not require additional officers to be dedicated to the rally. The same law enforcement officers that were on normal patrol would suffice to cover this additional event.

If you attended the rally, where politicians spoke including Tallahassee Mayor Gillum, music was played, merchandise and food were sold; the officer or deputy were only there because, at that moment, no other call had to be answered. If one had to be, then the rally may have had no law enforcement protecting those attending and perhaps our next governor.

When a permit is granted, the City goes through a checklist of which Stuart services will be needed for the event to occur. In this case for a political rally with one to two thousand people, no special detail officers were needed…or at least that is the what was determined after the special events person met with Gillum’s people.

If an auto accident occurred and/or criminal activity such as a robbery, then the officers that were on duty would have had to respond. The deputies would have been there to pick up the slack unless, of course, there were other problems in Martin County. So, wouldn’t it have been prudent for the person in charge of issuing the permit to have charged the organizers of the rally for at least one special duty officer?

Was the reason for not requiring a special detailed officer to be paid by the organizers because of politics? The employee that vetted the process is registered as a Democrat. Did party come above public safety to save a few bucks for the organizers? Whether a political rally of this size was for Democrats or Republicans, wouldn’t it had been appropriate, especially when the main speaker of the rally is running for governor?

Not every rally or special event requires enhanced police presence. This one did. The citizens of Martin County and the City of Stuart deserve to be protected at the same level regardless of special events happening. For a rally where many of the participants were from outside of the County and City, not having a dedicated security detail could have been dangerous.

I am going to believe that what occurred was just an error. I hope that public safety wasn’t compromised because of partisanship by one employee. The procedure should be looked at by the department heads, City Attorney and City Manager. There is no place for political favors in this type of situation. Citizens’ safety should not be compromised, and taxpayers should not subsidize a political candidate.