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Collaboration between police departments announced to combat NBA All-Star Game traffic

Written by John Harden, The Shorthorn senior staff

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 08:42 PM

The Arlington Police Department will partner with the Dallas Police Department to prepare and ensure security for the large gathering of fans for the NBA All-Star Game.

The NBA All-Star game will come to Arlington for the first time next week and the APD will look to tighten its first-response strategy.

“We can’t say too much about training,” said APD spokeswoman Tiara Ellis-Richard. “We’re trying to keep a tight lid on what we’re doing because you would be surprised at what people will try with a hint of information.”

The NBA All-Star Weekend is an annual event featuring fan-voted NBA players. Events include a slam dunk contest, three-point shootout and a celebrity all-star game.

NBA All-Star Game Weekend

When: Feb. 12-14

The NBA All-Star Game

When: 7 p.m. Feb. 14
Where: Cowboys Stadium

Because the All-Star Weekend will have events in both Arlington and Dallas, the APD will work with the DPD to help coordinate traffic and maintain a high level of first-response between both cities.

The events will be in Dallas Feb. 12-13 and in Arlington on Feb. 14.

With the three-day event attracting a lot of attention, the city has a pre- and post-game plan to make sure traffic flows efficiently.

Arlington’s traffic engineers will use the cameras overlooking the Arlington Entertainment District to monitor traffic patterns.

“As incidents occur, such as a stalled car, adjustments are made,” Ellis-Richard said. “From there, engineers will adjust traffic lights and talk to officers via radio to adjust the lanes that are open.”

In addition to the APD’s normal patrol, the department will use the collaboration between both cities to tighten security, she said.

“Because of the events being spread out all over, it’s important for both cities to maintain a direct line of communication,” Ellis-Richard said. “We’ll be using all of our resources to make sure everything flows smoothly.”

Since completion of the Cowboys Stadium, the APD has grown accustomed to handling large crowds, she said.

“Every event is different,” she said. “The fans for NFL games are different than NBA fans. For the All-Star Game, we expect to see more of a party atmosphere because of all the celebrities arriving and staying for the weekend.”

The All-Star game is one of the biggest special events the stadium will see this year, said Paul Turner, Cowboys Stadium event operations director.

“Security is always top priority,” he said. “We’re expecting thousands so we plan and make sure everything goes accordingly.”

Tuner said the stadium has its own internal security and will rely on the APD for external protection.

“We don’t expect any trouble at all,” he said. “We understand we have some high profile celebrities coming to town, so we’re taking all the necessary steps for security.”

The game shouldn’t affect university operations, said university spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan.

Stadium employees will continue to use UT Arlington’s parking lot as part of the agreement between the stadium and the university.
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