DNC prep continues with canvassing of security zones

With a little over three weeks until the Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago, crews with the city and U.S. Secret Service fanned out into neighborhoods to inform residents of security measures that will lock down parts of the city.

Teams numbering about 80 total canvassed the areas around the United Center and McCormick Place on Friday, distributing flyers to explain the perimeter zones that begin as early as Aug. 16.

Each venue has an inner zone closed to the public, except for delegates and people with credentials. There’s also an outer zone where vehicles are subject to security checks but pedestrians can pass freely.

The DNC is scheduled for Aug. 19-22.

The exact security perimeters, shared Thursday by officials, was news to some residents near the United Center on Friday.

“I knew they were coming, just not how they were going to do it,” said Melvin Stovall.

Stovall lives at the Damen Court Apartments, southwest of the United Center and outside of the perimeter. Canvassers hit these areas too, since they will be affected by traffic caused by the closed streets and checkpoints.

Resident Diana Courts said she will now plan extra time for commuting to her job as a caretaker for seniors.

“I’m glad you all stopped by,” she said, “because I would’ve been, like, ‘I’ve got to get to work.'”

Joel Heffernan, the U.S. Secret Service assistant special agent in charge of the Chicago field office, told reporters Friday that the canvassing effort is part of an ongoing process to minimize confusion among nearby residents and businesses.

“The objective is to effectively and efficiently communicate our plan and mitigate confusion as we move forward for DNC,” Heffernan said.

Crews also distributed flyers in April when the Secret Service established a larger potential security perimeter. Heffernan said the outreach has touched 1,000 residents and business owners.

Glen Brooks, director of community policing for the Chicago Police Department, said. “We’re really here to make sure that we can start lowering the anxiety around” the DNC.

Part of that anxiety is related to the various rules that people who live within the security zones must follow. The security perimeter around the United Center covers mostly parking lots, with the exception of the Henry Horner Homes on the stadium’s southeast corner.

Residents and guests there will be required to show a government-issued ID to enter, said Sara Mathers, deputy of community engagement with the Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office. To help people get IDs before the DNC, the city was hosting a Chicago CityKey event nearby on Friday, she said.