PRESS RELEASE:
From a public safety perspective, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game events went very smoothly in Kansas City.
“To say it went well is an understatement,” said Major Rich Lockhart, who coordinated police operations for the event. “It was a huge team effort that showcased Kansas City on a national stage.”
About 300 police personnel were devoted to the events throughout the city, with an additional 85 officers working inside Kauffman Stadium. Regular neighborhood patrols were not affected. Officers working All-Star events were on special assignment.
Most baseball fans seemed to be on their best behavior, too, with police making very few arrests. One person was taken into custody and charged with stealing for breaking into cars. Police also identified a dozen counterfeit game tickets and three victims, and investigation into those continues. The most common problem police encountered – especially at FanFest – were children who became separated from their parents. All were reunited in less than 10 minutes.
Thanks to a change in the weather, fewer than 10 people received medical treatment for heat-related issues.
Major Lockhart said the geographic scope of events presented a special challenge. Other cities that have hosted the All-Star Game had events concentrated in one downtown area. Kansas City had FanFest and the Charity 5K run Downtown, the Chevrolet Red Carpet Parade on the Plaza and the games several miles east at Kauffman Stadium.
“I didn’t hear one bad thing,” he said. “It says a lot about the level of planning and the level of professionalism by everyone.”
The Kansas City City Council will honor the Police and Fire departments with a resolution at 3 p.m. Thursday recognizing their work coordinating All-Star events.
