More than 100 police police agencies are withdrawing from agreements to send personnel to help bolster security at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee next month. Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales says the police agencies are concerned with a new order barring the police use of tear gas and pepper spray at demonstrations. Fond du Lac police chief Bill Lamb says his department is backing out from assisting with security at the convention. Lamb says the use of chemical irritants is absolutely necessary in case a protest escalates into criminal behavior. Lamb says the only other option is to do nothing. The convention is slated to run Aug. 17 through Aug. 20. The convention has been scaled down to a mostly virtual event because of the coronavirus pandemic, with about 300 people expected to attend in-person. But police are still preparing for the possibility of large protests.
