OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. (KOKH) — As players and fans prepare for Game 7 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City, law enforcement agencies are also preparing.
“Our officers understand the gravity of the situation going on with this being a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Haven’t had a game seven in the NBA finals in a long time in the entire NBA, so it’s really something that’s happening in Oklahoma City on Sunday evening,” said Oklahoma City Police Department Public Information Officer, MSgt. Gary Knight.
People in downtown OKC on Sunday can expect to see a heavy law enforcement presence.
“No matter where you look, if you’re around that arena, no matter where you look, at some point in your field of vision, you should be able to see a police officer,” Knight said. “We’re going to have a lot of officers out there. Not that we’re anticipating anything happening, but we just want to make sure everybody’s safe and secure.”
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said while OKCPD is taking the lead, its deputies will be helping out as well.
“We plan on having plenty of boots on the ground because we expect this to be one of the largest crowds in the history of Oklahoma City. We could see tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of people in our city because of it. So, we’re preparing for it,” OCSO Public Information Officer Aaron Brilbeck said.
Brilbeck is expecting a Thunder win and is reminding everyone to celebrate safely.
“We want you to celebrate because the Thunder are going to win. And we’re very excited about that upcoming win. But do so responsibly. We don’t want to see any damage. You can be excited without damaging things,” he said.
Law enforcement officials are reminding those downtown on Sunday that if you see something, to say something.
A spokesperson for the Paycom Center said in a statement to FOX 25, “Legends/ASM Global is working in collaboration with partners at the OKC Thunder, NBA, and City of OKC to monitor security risks and provide the best possible experience for fans during the Finals. Usual security measures like bag size limits and entry checkpoints will be in place for this Sunday’s game, and there will be an enhanced security presence inside and outside of Paycom Center with additional staffing and law enforcement. Our organizations have a proven track record of producing high-level events and look forward to hosting another one in a few days.”