Oklahoma City Police say they’ll be ready for whatever happens during Thursday night’s Game 6.
And it’s not just inside the arena. Bars like Thunder Hall or Fassler Hall are prepping for packed crowds.
Police say there’s no threat, just plenty of preparation.
“Wherever you look, you should be able to see an officer—or at least have one in your field of vision,” said MSgt. Gary Knight, OKC Police
They’re not expecting chaos, but they are preparing for big crowds. Knight says the key is making smart decisions:
“Have a good time, but be mindful. Don’t drive drunk. We all know the ramifications of that,” said Knight.
And if the Thunder clinch the title in Game 6, celebrations could follow. That’s where help from other departments comes in.
“The plans will continue this week, and we’ll see how Games 6 and 7 go. We’ll have meetings until Friday with Oklahoma City and all the partner agencies,” said Chief John Corn, Yukon Police.
During Yukon’s city meeting, Corn said they’re one of several metro departments ready to assist the OKC Police during any celebrations.
They’re planning for crowds of up to 600,000 downtown, and have already approved sending officers to help without compromising their own city’s coverage.
“We will have full staffing even if they go on the organized event and require additional assistance. We will not leave the city unmanned on the regular shift,” said Cord.
The planning, Corn says, began as soon as the Thunder made the playoffs.