Cleveland City Hall

Cleveland officials continue their efforts to spend a $50 million grant for security for the Republican National Convention.

(Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland will spend $848,640 on riot-control suits and batons for police working during the upcoming Republican National Convention, following a vote from a city contracting panel on Wednesday.



The city will file for the purchases to be reimbursed under a $50 million federal grant to pay for security for the GOP convention, scheduled for July 18-21 in downtown Cleveland.



The city's Board of Control voted unanimously to buy 2,000 sets of riot-control suits, including upper-body and shoulder protective gear, tactical hard-knuckle gloves, shin guards and bags officers will use to carry the equipment.



The city will pay Kentucky-based Galls, LLC $565,440 to provide the equipment, which city documents on Wednesday referred to as "personal protective equipment" or "control suits and accessories." Earlier city contracting documents had referred to the equipment as "riot-control suits" or "riot-control gear."



The city also will spend $283,200 on 2,000 sets of batons, baton caps and collapsible baton holders. Atwell's Police & Fire Equipment Co., of Painesville, will provide the equipment.



The Board of Control is made up of department directors and other top aides to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.



The Republican National Convention is expected to attract upwards of 50,000 people to downtown Cleveland, and city officials are working to assemble a temporary force of around 4,000 officers to provide security during the event.

Recent Republican conventions also have drawn demonstrators ranging from from less than 1,000 protesters in Tampa, Fla. in 2012 to more than 100,000 in New York City in 2004.