No big problems in Homecoming Parade history but emergency plans in place

by Yosuke Takanashi
Staff Writer

Although local law enforcement officers said there will be few problems at Saturday's homecoming parade because little has happened in the past, police departments still will prepared for emergencies.

              The parade is slated to start at 9:30 a.m. and finish about 11:30 a.m.

Jessica Moskwa, homecoming parade chair for University Program Council, also said big problems have not happened in the parade in the past.

              Still, Athens Police Department officers will take special caution for the parade, APD Lt. Anthony Fish said.

              "We have contingency plans," he said. "We do have plans in place for threats of bio-terrorism."

              But Fish said he does not expect trouble during the parade.

              "I don't think anything will happen during the parade that requires that kind of response," Fish said.

              The Ohio University Police Department officers also have an emergency plan.

              "The university does have a standardized policy (that decides) how to respond to threats of biological terror," OUPD Lt. Christopher Johnson said.

              They will be on patrol in an almost same way as they have been in the past, he said.

              "We'll do a combination of foot-patrol, bike-patrol and cruise-patrol, Johnson said. "There is nothing substantially different (from regular occasions). We have (police officers) along the parade route, so if there are any problems, our response time should be minimum."

              Like any other situation, if officers receive a call about a crime, officers in the area respond first and determine how to handle the situation, Johnson said.

"After the attack of Sept. 11, there is a more heightened sense among all police officers in the United States about what to look for, what to be cautious of and what to pay closer attention to," he said. "I think that's the biggest difference from last year's parade and this year's parade."

Law enforcement officers also will control traffic, Johnson said. They will block intersections to make sure the parade gets through without any traffic coming in to the parade.

Jessica Moskwa, homecoming parade chair for University Program Council, also said big problems have not happened in the parade in the past.