CHARLOTTE -- Seven hundred and fifty miles from the Queen City in Chicago, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers helped restore order and keep the peace Sunday during the summit of the North American Treaty Organization.

About 100 or so CMPD officers and the department's top leaders are assisting in the Windy City in a day where protests in certain parts of the city turned chaotic late Sunday afternoon. Hundreds, if not thousands, of protesters clashed with police officers.

Following an anti-war rally and march, some of the protesters refused to disperse near Chicago's McCormick Place where the NATO summit is being held. After some protesters threw objects and attempted to break through the police barricade several were arrested.

A CMPD spokesperson said none of our local officers were at this location but they were stationed in different positions across Chicago. During the NATO summit, CMPD officers are equipped with new protective gear that's expected to also be used during the DNC Convention.

The NATO summit is expected to be the best dress rehearsal for crowd management that CMPD will get ahead of the September's convention. Because of CMPD's assistance in Chicago for the NATO summit, the Chicago police is expected to return the favor and send some of their officers to assist in the city's security this September.