Alarmed by the succession of deadly police shootings, including Sunday's deaths in Baton Rouge, police union president Steve Loomis said he is appealing to the governor to declare an emergency. He said the state's open-carry law is making the job of securing the convention "much more difficult."

"Somebody's got to do something," Loomis said Sunday. "What we have now is completely irresponsible."

Gov. John Kasich does not have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or state laws, spokeswoman Emmalee Kalmbach said.

Under Ohio law, legal gun owners can carry firearms in plain sight. So while authorities have banned such items as tennis balls and large backpacks in the event zone during the convention, gun owners are permitted to carry and display weapons.

"Law enforcement is a noble, essential calling, and we all grieve that we've again seen attacks on officers," a statement from Kalmbach said. "The bonds between our communities and police must be reset and rebuilt — as we're doing in Ohio — so our communities and officers can both be safe. Everyone has an important role to play in that renewal."