The Phoenix Police Department is preparing for President Trump’s visit to the Valley on Tuesday.
President Trump is scheduled to speak at the Phoenix Convention Center with the event starting at 7 p.m.
On Wednesday Mayor Stanton criticized President Trump for holding the rally.
"I am disappointed that President Trump has chosen to hold a campaign rally as our nation is still healing from the tragic events in Charlottesville," Stanton said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "It is my hope that more sound judgment prevails and that he delays his visit."
Below is the full statement released by Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams on the rally:
"By now, you probably have heard that President Trump is coming to Phoenix for a rally on Tuesday, August 22nd. While Phoenix is not immune from critical incidents, I want you to know that your city is working hard to ensure another safe event.
Because high profile events are common in Phoenix, we are well prepared to handle another Presidential visit. Our experience with other dignitary visits, Super Bowls, music festivals, major professional and collegiate sporting events, allows us to quickly deploy resources that keep our residents and visitors safe.
At all times, the Phoenix Police Department has officers assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center to constantly monitor and evaluate activities that may impact our local communities. These long term partnerships with other local, state, and federal agencies, help ensure that information is shared and acted upon in a seamless manner.
In addition to partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and City Departments, we have active relationships with local community organizers in order to obtain the most current and accurate information regarding any related events directly from the source.
While I won't discuss specifics regarding our security planning, I want everyone to know that our preparations are well underway. We will have maximum staffing during the visit and are working 24/7 with our partners to ensure all of our resources are in place. We do expect a lot of activity in the downtown area but we are prepared to minimize the impact to area businesses and residents. As always, I expect our officers will remain professional, decisive, and immediately responsive should the need arise.
For those who plan to be in the downtown area, we encourage you to plan ahead. Expect delays for traffic and security checkpoints. Be mindful of the weather as heat and thunderstorms may be in the forecast. Be aware of your surroundings and, as always, if you see something, say something."
