Story Created:
Jul 11, 2006 at 5:39 PM EST
Story Updated:
Jul 11, 2006 at 5:41 PM EST
"My best count is five or six and them (secret service) seem to be crawling all over the place but...they're getting to know the hotel very intimately," says hotel part owner Joe Carucci. Also preparing way in advance for the V.P.'s visit are local law enforcement agencies. The Oneida County Sheriff's department has been coordinating with the secret service regarding the vice president's ride from Griffiss Airfield in Rome to the Hotel Utica. "We will be part of the motorcade and we will deploy personnel as they require to lend support to whatever it is they need," says Oneida County Sheriff Dan Middaugh.
Carucci says he's been assured that, while the Secret Service will conduct thorough security sweeps, hotel guests will not be required to sit on their suitcases out on LaFayette street during the sweeps. Carucci says the vice president's security staff is not requiring the hotel to be emptied of guests. Carucci says watching the Secret Service prepare days in advance for the vice president's two-hour visit has been quite the learning experience. "My God! If they do this every time these people go somewhere, I mean--he's not going to be here until Friday and they started yesterday and they're going to be here for the whole week so..it's exciting, it's a good learning lesson for us."
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