Security to be ramped up at Fair

Deepa Bharath

The Fair Board on Thursday unanimously approved a new policy that

will require public safety officials to check bigger bags that people

bring to the Orange County Fair.

Officials will inspect bigger purses, backpacks, fanny packs,

diaper bags, brief cases, stroller and wagons, Fair administrators

said.

The new policy aims to make the event safe and secure, said David

Brokaw, public safety chief for the Fairgrounds.

“In the long run, it’s going to save time for our patrons,” he

said. “Last year, we had an incidents where an unattended backpack

caused a whole area to be closed off for a while.”

This year, all such baggage will be ticketed to indicate that they

have been checked, thereby avoiding such inconveniences, Brokaw said.

The Fair has increased its public safety budget this year by 49%

because of the new security policy, he added. The beefed-up security

is also because the fair is running one more week this year.

Also providing security at the Fair are Costa Mesa Police and the

Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Last year, because of increased

security, arrests were down 25% from 2001, officials said.

Brokaw said he does not anticipate major delays because of the

inspection.

“If people don’t want their backpacks checked, they should not

bring them,” he said. “If they don’t really need them, it’s just

easier to leave them in the car.”

Brokaw said his department is equipped to step up staffing when

needed to deal with massive crowds expected during the weekends and

for the concerts at the Pacific Amphitheater.

“It’s not as if the Fair wants to spend all this money to give the

appearance of security,” he said. “We’re doing this because we want

to make it safer for our patrons.”

Fair Board member Emily Sanford said the new policy is a sign of

the times.

“It’s only practical in today’s world,” she said. “I’m sure

visitors to the Fair will be understanding as long as we don’t

surprise them and put up some signage in the parking lots so they

know they can leave their bags in the car.”