Since late 2006, local and federal law enforcement agencies have been crafting security plans for this summer’s Republican National Convention. At the same time, the Department of Defense has been making its own preparations for the RNC week. While civilian law enforcement agencies will shoulder the primary responsibility for event security, the DOD is preparing to offer a variety of “civil support” functions during the convention. 

According to Michael Kucharek, a spokesman for the DOD’s Northern Command, “During the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, DOD personnel will support the United States Secret Service. If directed by the Secretary of Defense, US Northern Command is prepared to provide additional support to other civil agencies.”

The degree to which federal military units can become involved in civilian law enforcement operations is regulated by a variety of federal laws, including the 1807 Insurrection Act, and the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act. The Posse Comitatus Act largely prohibits the military from acting in a law enforcement capacity, although it allows Congress to create exceptions to this rule. Over the past 30 years, Congress has passed several amendments to Posse Comitatus, which have allowed federal troops to become involved in a variety of “civil support” missions, which range from drug interdiction to border surveillance.

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