Local police agencies have increased personnel and are working closely with the U.S. Secret Service to ensure this weekend’s visits by presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama run smoothly.

Clinton will hold a “Solutions for America” town hall event Saturday morning at the University of Maine’s Student Recreation Center. Obama is scheduled to appear at a “Stand for Change” rally at the Bangor Auditorium Saturday afternoon.

Both candidates intend to fly into Bangor International Airport at an undisclosed date and time for the weekend events, according to BIA Director Rebecca Hupp.

While she was unwilling to share whether additional security measures will be taken at the airport, Hupp said she expects business as normal.

“We are not anticipating any change to our operations,” Hupp said. “Flights will still come and go.”

The airport will provide the same routine service to the Democratic candidates’ chartered planes as they do any other, Hupp said. This could include providing fuel, cleaning the aircraft, deicing and a catered meal if requested.

Discussions about the possibility of an appearance by Clinton began Tuesday, but her visit wasn’t confirmed with the university until Thursday, UM spokesman Joe Carr said.

“Most of the logistics are being handled by campaign staff,” Carr said.

Officers from the UM Department of Public Safety, Orono and Bangor police departments, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office have been called on to assist with security and traffic issues.

“It’s going to require virtually every member of the university police department to be working that morning,” UM Police Chief Noel March said. “It’s a large building and a nationally prominent event.”

The campus is expected to be a hive of activity during Clinton’s visit with several hundred people attending the Eastern Maine Indoor Track League Championship, and parents and students on campus for Friends and Family Weekend.

Police assisting at both venues are encouraging attendees to arrive early to allow time for possible heavy traffic and to get through the security screening process.

“There will be security screening similar to what air travelers experience at airports,” March said. “If people could refrain from bringing backpacks and pocketbooks, it sure would speed up the security screening process at the Student Recreation Center and get people out of the cold a lot more quickly.”

There will not be a shuttle from the parking area to the recreation center, which is a five- to 10-minute walk from the designated parking area at the Maine Center for the Arts. Handicapped parking spaces will be available closer to the recreation building.

“There should be ample parking, but also the earlier the people arrive the better the parking will be,” March said.

A few streets in Orono will be closed briefly to allow Clinton’s motorcade to proceed through town, Orono police Capt. Josh Ewing said. Bangor police said no road closures are expected in the city.

The UM Department of Public Safety will submit a reimbursement request to the Clinton for President campaign to cover the cost of the extra personnel, but the cost of additional Bangor police will be left to the city, Bangor Deputy Police Chief Peter Arno said.

Officials with the Maine State Police wouldn’t comment on their exact involvement, but did confirm that they are assisting and referred all questions to the Secret Service. Phone calls to the Secret Service field office in Portland weren’t returned Thursday.

There will be no heightened security at Maine’s numerous border crossings with Canada on Saturday. “We always operate on a high level of security. It doesn’t matter what day,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Ted Woo said Thursday. “Every day we are ever vigilant in our efforts.”

Woo said people should not expect any heightened slowdowns.

None of the security agencies was overly concerned about the candidates’ appearances and noted that presidential hopefuls have visited the area in the past.

“I think things are going to run pretty smoothly,” Arno said.

BDN writers Diana Graettinger and Toni-Lynn Robbins contributed to this report.

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