A Secret Service force of over 20 agents along with 10 members of the city police department made up the security team responsible for protecting presidential hopeful Jesse Jackson during his campaign stop at Williamsport Area High School.

City Police Chief William F. Miller, who was responsible for working with the Secret Service to assure adequate security was on hand for Jackson’s visit, said he was notified about 1 p.m. the day prior to the visit by the Secret Service office in Scranton about the candidate’s schedule.

In a brief interview in his office after seeing Jackson off at the airport, Miller told the Sun-Gazette in 1988 that there were absolutely no problems during the candidates’ visit.

“Everything went well,” Miller said.

“We had the whole thing pretty well watched,” said one Williamsport Bureau of Police officer who worked with the security team.

The team, the Sun-Gazette reported in 1988, consisted of all five members of the detective division, three uniform officers, Capt. Jack R. Yanni and Miller.

Miller said four Secret Service agents arrived in Williamsport the day before the visit to map out the route Jackson’s motorcade would take from the airport to the school and back.

“We also had to map out routes to the two city hospitals in the event something would happen to him while he was here,” Miller told the Sun-Gazette for its coverage of the 1988 visit.

Secret Service agents examined the layout of the school and members of the security force were placed strategically throughout the school’s gymnasium and watched for any suspicious actions on the part of the crowd.

Jackson’s motorcade, the Sun-Gazette reported in 1988, consisted of eight vehicles, including two buses, one of which carried Jackson.

Miller, who rode in the lead car of the motorcade, said the only thing that surprised him during Jackson’s visit was a moment when the bus carrying Jackson stopped suddenly and Jackson exited to talk to a small group of students that had gathered near the airport runways and access road.

“We really can’t expect that kind of thing,” Miller said.

Jackson had alluded to death threats earlier during a campaign event in New York City. Miller said authorities were not aware of the candidate receiving any threats here.

One city police officer who was part of the security team said Jackson’s message was “impressive.”

He was well received,” the officer said. “He sure gave the kids a good message on drugs.”