FRESNO (KMJ) — Bag checks, wanding, and new patrols, are all part of a push to ensure this year’s Big Fresno Fair remains safe.
It comes as the country continues to deal with the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, now described as the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
“We were very proactive in the steps we have taken this year,” says Deputy Manager Stacy Rianda.
She considers this year’s security effort “pretty intense.”
“We’ve increased the policing on the outside of the fairgrounds. We have added additional video cameras throughout the grounds, so there will be a video policing presence here.
“We’ve added a monitor to the police office, so that one person can sit in their command center here in the fairgrounds and watch all of the cameras and see everything that’s happening on the fairgrounds all at the same time.”
Visitors on Fridays and Saturdays will getting something new too, after going through the standard screening process.
“Everyone who goes that process will get a wristband. So it will be very clear to our police officers and security guards who has not gone through that process to actually get onto the grounds in the proper way.”
Rianda describes the decision to restrict those under the age of 18 entering the venue without an adult on Fridays and Saturdays after 7pm as the second part of that admissions policy.
“Large entertainment venues, shopping malls, other fairs, that have implemented similar policies have drastically reduced the amount of incidents.”
The mass shooting in Nevada on Sunday has heightened concern about public arenas and whether or it could happen again. It prompted the Department of Homeland Security to issue a statement revealing that there is no specific credible threat to other venues.
“All of the measures that we’re putting into place this year are the most that we’ve ever implemented in one fair. We were lucky that we were proactive in doing that prior to the Las Vegas tragedy,” adds Rianda.
“We’re beefed up to the max.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
