In the next months, Detroit will play home to two major athletic events: the NFL Draft and the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The NFL Draft will take place April 25–27 in and around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit, while the Midwest Regional will be held March 29–31 at Little Caesars Arena.
After being held in several different cities since 2015, the draft is predicted to draw more than 300,000 visitors to Detroit in April. It also means that there will be a greater requirement for police presence within and outside of the city.
In a recent interview with Lansing-based WILX-TV, Detroit Police Chief James White gave viewers the assurance that his department is prepared for the increased activity that the draft will bring.
Gun-free zones, helicopters, undercover cops, and the department’s real-time crime center will all help the department in its endeavors.
White told the Lansing TV station, “Very confident in our plan, very confident in our partnerships and certainly very confident in our community.”
Furthermore, White communicated that he and his staff will be attentively scrutinizing the incident that took place at the Kansas City Chiefs’ title parade on Wednesday as they finalize their draft plans.
“We will examine the events that have occurred, just as we have regrettably studied the other incidents that have occurred across our nation this year, and we will simply draw lessons from them,” said White.
Attendance at the draft is free and will include a number of events, including interactive exhibits, musical performances, and signature sessions.