Police prioritize safety for Red, White & BOOM!
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Only two more days until Red, White & BOOM!, the largest fireworks show in the Midwest.
The event is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people to Columbus this Wednesday. Columbus Police said to leave the safety aspect of the event to them.
“We take these events very seriously,” Columbus Division of Police Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts said.
Potts said officers will be visible at this year's Red, White & BOOM! to help ensure attendees can enjoy the fireworks safely.
“Behind the scenes, we've been working for over a year to ensure that we have the resources,” Potts said. “With the support of City Council (and) the mayor's office, we're confident that we will have another successful, great Red, White & BOOM!”
Last month, NBC4 spoke with Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant about police department safety plans. She said they vet all information they receive to ensure there are no threats to the public. Bryant also said police are constantly paying attention to events around the world to make sure they have a plan in place for any scenario.
“We're always looking for ways to improve our security plans and our safety plans," Bryant said. "I think we do a really good job in vetting information and ensuring that we have the proper personnel, but we're always looking for ways to expand. We're going to make sure that we have the proper personnel in place and the intelligence is in place to address any concerns as they happen. But we're going to be there and we're encouraging people to come down and enjoy themselves and just leave the safety part to us.”
During last year’s Red, White & BOOM!, police said a person yelled false statements into the crowd, inducing panic. In NBC4's video from that night, officers can be seen quickly jumping into action.
“There was no violence at Red, White & BOOM! last year because of the amazing work of the division of police and the community working together,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said.
Ginther said authorities are going to do everything in their power to make sure Red, White & BOOM! is a fun and safe event.
“We're going to be working very closely with police, fire and community (members) to make sure these events are safe. We're going to put everything we need to resource-wise into making sure that happens," Ginther said.
Columbus police leaders encourage people to speak up if they see anything out of the ordinary. They said people can report information to police officers, who will be visible at the event.
Red, White & BOOM! events will begin with a street festival at 11 a.m. this Wednesday, continuing throughout the day and evening. The fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. and last around 25 minutes. For viewers who cannot attend in person, NBC4 will also broadcast the fireworks live on television and online at NBC4i.com.