Des Moines police are prioritizing safety at the Iowa State Fair, which draws over a million visitors annually, by addressing potential risks and raising awareness.
Safety Concerns
Over the next 10 days, crowds will gather at the fairgrounds to enjoy food, make new friends, and have a good time. However, not everyone comes with good intentions.
"You’d be naive to think that drug dealers aren’t thinking, ‘Hey, there’s a lot of people over there. I might be able to sell a whole lot of drugs,’" said Sgt. Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department.
Parizek explained that preparing for an event of this size is a near-constant effort. "Just about anything that can happen when you have a huge crowd like that around," he said.
Earlier this week, Des Moines police seized nearly 13 pounds of cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and ketamine, among other drugs, from a home near the fairgrounds.
At large events like the Iowa State Fair, trafficking drugs or even humans is not unheard of. "When we start looking at sex and human trafficking issues and drug dealing, you know, the people who are doing that are looking for people who they can sell their wares to, and a large event like this, or the Super Bowl, those are places where we really have to raise our awareness," Parizek said.
Combating Risks
To combat these risks, police are working with nearby businesses and hotels, providing them with warning signs to watch for. These include people avoiding eye contact or interaction, evidence of physical abuse and individuals who are unable to speak for themselves.
Despite these concerns, Parizek emphasized that the public should not be deterred from enjoying the fair. "We encourage people to go out there and experience everything that the fair has to offer. There’s a lot of us that take our families out there. We love it. Anywhere you have those crowds, you need to make sure that you’re being alert, though, and you’re keeping an eye on your kids. And just to use your common sense and to plan ahead, man, that’s the biggest thing," he said.
If attendees notice anything suspicious, they are encouraged to report it. In addition to about 30 Des Moines police officers in the area, the fairgrounds have their own police department, located on Grand Avenue. The Iowa State Patrol will also be present at the fairgrounds.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
