(Testimony of Forrest V. Sorrels)
Mr. Stern.
Yes. But----
Mr. Sorrels.
But the actual preparation was along the same lines.
Mr. Stern.
You have been following a procedure and pattern as long as you have been doing this kind of work?
Mr. Sorrels.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Stern.
It has been pretty much the same procedure?
Mr. Sorrels.
That is correct, sir.
Mr. Stern.
When you know that a President is coming to the area under your jurisdiction, what arrangements do you try to work out with the Police Department?
Mr. Sorrels.
We will have a conference with the Chief of Police and his key personnel, usually when it is determined what the program is going to be.
In some instances where there has to be a meeting with the advance man from the White House detail, and for the local committee and the plans are not entirely solid, we have found that to bring the police in at that time is a little bit premature, because I have known of instances where we have had such meetings and the orders have been cut, and then they had to be changed, because of some change.
So, insofar as is possible, the meeting with the police is held at a time when we know pretty much what the program is going to be. And that procedure is followed in every instance.
In some instances, as I mentioned a moment ago there, when President Kennedy came to the Baylor Hospital, we didn't have very much time--it is something we have to work out very rapidly, and which was done in this instance with the Chief of Police and his key men, and the security was set up on a very, very short notice.
Mr. Stern.
But normally, when you have the time, you like, as I understand it, to try to make your arrangements----
Mr. Sorrels.
Oh, yes; as far in advance as possible, because we realize that it is quite a task for them, because they have got many men involved, and many things that have to be taken into consideration, so that their orders can be properly drawn and the men dispatched to the proper places with a knowledge of what they are supposed to do.
Mr. Stern.
But you do try to have the trip or the motorcade route, if there is to be a motorcade, pretty well worked out before you go to the police?
Mr. Sorrels.
We usually have an idea what we would like to do, and we, of course, confer with the police because they may have in instances knowledge that we don't have about a certain area that it might not be appropriate to use or to go into.
Mr. Stern.
Let's see if we can relate this now to President Kennedy's trip Dallas in November.
When did you first hear that he was to make this trip, Mr. Sorrels?
Mr. Sorrels.
On November 4, 1963, I received a long distance call from Special Agent in Charge Gerald A. Behn, of the White House Detail, stating that the President would probably visit Dallas about November 21, and that there had been a couple of buildings suggested, one of them being the Trade Mart, which he understood had about 60 entrances to it, and six catwalks over the area where the luncheon would be. And that the second choice that had been suggested then was the Women's Building at the State Fair Grounds. That was another place referred to as a trade center, which is actually Market Hall, which is across the street from the Trade Mart.
He instructed that I make a survey of these buildings and report back to him the conditions.
Mr. Stern.
What did you do?
Mr. Sorrels.
Accompanied by Special Agent Robert A. Stewart of my office, we went to the Trade Mart and looked the situation over there, and we did find that there were entrances coming into, you might call it, a courtyard where the luncheon was to have been entrances coming into that area. And that there were two suspension bridges or catwalks on the second floor and on the third floor.
The outside entrances were no particular problem, but it did mean that it would take quite a bit of manpower to cover each one of the entrances that
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