ROANOKE, Va. – When it comes to keeping people safe, Robert Lamour is the one you call.
“I oversaw the planning and security measures for any protective visits to the region which included all the candidates. It included former First Lady Hillary Clinton and former President Trump,” Lamour said.
Lamour started in the Secret Service in 1998 and worked in field offices all across the country and beyond, before retiring to Roanoke in 2022.
“When you first heard what happened this weekend, from a security standpoint, what was going on in your head?” 10 News Reporter Abbie Coleman asked him.
“First and foremost, we knew the President was safe, so a lot of things were going through my mind because there was a methodical, swift approach to the issue as it developed,” Lamour said.
He tells us a quick response shows good communication on the Secret Service’s part.
“They formed a shield around him to allow him to be transitioned from the stage to the armored vehicle which was waiting nearby,” he said.
Lamour said outdoor venues are always more risky.
“The outdoor venues were always a concern. They were always an issue because of the line of sight issues they posed, so there was heightened security and further planning into these events,” he said.
Secret Service also doesn’t handle these events alone — they heavily rely on local and state agencies.
“The resources are in collaboration with the Secret Service that are employed to have a seamless approach to security where the communication and collaboration match the response to these types of events,” he said.
The attempted assassination has left many Americans wondering how on earth it could have happened.
“In any of these events, those types of questions will arise, there’s been a lot of scrutiny over the occurrences in the aftermath of any events, you will have some scrutiny and criticism based on the events. I would caution against assumptions on any security plan, because there will be a follow up to identify those issues,” he said.
We also spoke with Lamour about the Republican National Convention this week, and if he thinks any large-scale measures will change as a result of this weekend.
He tells us that event is already crawling with security, and he doubts there will be any large changes because of how high profile it already is.
He also mentioned that since it is campaign season, there is additional security as it is.