Cleveland skyline

The latest deadly mass shooting spotlights the security challenges surrounding Cleveland's hosting of the Republican National Convention later this month.

(Lynn Ischay, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The events overnight in Dallas, where five police officers were killed in a sniper attack, are sure to stoke anxiety in Clevelanders as the city prepares to host the Republican National Convention in a little more than a week.

With all that's going on and the RNC right around the corner, Cleveland will be on pins and needles — eddie (@edaustn) July 8, 2016

The Dallas police were targeted while they monitored a protest, where demonstrators marched over two incidents -- one in Louisiana, and one in Minnesota -- in which black men were shot and killed by police officers earlier this week. A suspect, who died after a standoff with police, said he wanted to kill white people, and especially white police officers, Dallas Police Chief David Brown told reporters Friday, according to CNN and other media outlets.

It's unclear how this week's events may affect the tone of demonstrations expected to take place here the week of the Republican National Convention, scheduled for July 18-21. Leaders with the Black Lives Matter movement, which is expected to have a presence in Cleveland, have condemned the Dallas shootings.

Prayers for the victims of all violence tonight. — deray (@deray) July 8, 2016

As we've said before, the GOP convention will put months of planning by local, state and federal law-enforcement officials to the test.

Officials are preparing for a significant number of protesters in Cleveland during the convention. While the exact figure is unknown, we can deduce that police are preparing for the possibility of mass arrests numbering in the thousands.

City Councilman Matt Zone, chair of council's public safety committee, said the Dallas shooting will be on the mind of law enforcement and the greater community during the GOP convention. He hopes it will not put people on edge as to prevent people's rights to peacefully protest.

"It's definitely going to have an effect on Cleveland. There's no doubt about it," he said.

Local and federal officials have repeatedly stated they will be ready for the Republican National Convention, and have said they've spent months preparing their security plans. Police have deliberately avoided sharing detailed information about their preparations for the GOP convention. But here's some of what we know.

Around the time of the GOP convention, streets and at times, highways, will be closed, concrete and metal barriers will be set up and police are expected to have a visible presence Downtown and throughout the city.

Residents have grumbled about how the changes will inconvenience them, but local and federal law-enforcement officials said they tried to strike a balance between keeping downtown open for business while also keeping it safe.

Following last month's mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, a counterterrorism expert told cleveland.com that tactics as simple as increasing the numbers of officers can calm the nerves of people who worry about safety.

"Nothing says you're serious like a good old-fashioned physical deterrence presence," Roger Cressey, a former adviser to the White House who now works at a Washington, D.C.-based security consulting firm, said at the time.

Tom Lekan, a Cleveland-based security consultant, said on Friday that incidents like what happened in Dallas always result in an uptick in public concern. But he said the GOP convention will feature a heavy, well coordinated police presence, along with increased private security.

"It seems to me, if you're a bad guy or bad girl, you're going to think twice about your own safety if you're going to pull something, basically because no matter which way you turn you're going to see somebody that is basically involved in the RNC," he said.

Among the agencies that will be assisting with the Republican National Convention include the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service and the Ohio National Guard. Police have been spotted on rooftops during recent high-profile downtown events -- such as the Cleveland Cavaliers championship parade -- and are expected to do the same during the GOP convention.

While we don't know specific numbers, police officials have said they have worked to recruit thousands of officers to work for the event.

Police Chief Calvin Williams in a message posted on Facebook this week described the city's preparations:

A Message from Chief Calvin D. Williams: The City of Cleveland is just over a week away from the beginning festivities... Posted by Cleveland Police on Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Cleveland.com reporters Eric Heisig and Cory Shaffer contributed to this story.

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