Wisconsin prepares for Santorum campaign stop

As you might imagine, finding locations for such rallies is just one part of preparing for a presidential campaign swing.

Local law enforcement agencies partner with the U-S Secret Service on how best to staff security details, and sometimes work out the cost arrangement later.

Rick Santorum's scheduled stop in Bellevue is not a new event for local law enforcement agencies. Northeast Wisconsin has long hosted its share of election year campaign swings. The U.S. Secret Service depends on local law enforcement agencies expertise for security planning.

Federal agent John Hirt had this to say about local law enforcement. "Their assistance is paramount in handling all of these motorcade movements and the security plans at all the locations that protect these visits."

For their part, local police agencies have to assess the best traffic routes, event security coverage and possible protest sites. that means bringing in off-duty officers for overtime to cover rallies and unscheduled stops.

Green Bay Police Lieutenant Andy Lewis says, "These candidates want to meet the people and the people want to meet them. So, sometimes it does mean an unscheduled stop. We just have to adapt!"

That's a process that's like to occur more often as the April 3rd Wisconsin primary approaches and through the full-campaign season. When it's all over, communities face the uncertain task of recouping overtime costsfrom campaigns.

Green Bay Police Lt. Andy Lewis says, " I think there are some that haven't paid or haven't paid on a timely basis. Of course, that's a disappointment, because we don't want the taxpayers having to pay for this."

Some campaigns like to compare their events to concerts or Green Bay Packers game days - events that also rely on local police agencies for traffic and security control.