TAMPA, Fla. — St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said the Firestone Grand Prix has been a safe event for the past 19 years, and his goal is to keep it that way this year. During a press conference on Wednesday, Holloway said that his officers are committed to keeping everyone safe.
With thousands of racing fans in attendance for the 20th annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg kicking off the INDYCAR Series, security measures are in place to ensure the safety of the race car drivers, their crews and fans with the support of federal and state law enforcement partners, Holloway said. Officers will be monitoring the venue by land, water and air. Several agencies, including St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, FBI, Florida Highway Patrol, United States Coast Guard and Tampa Bomb Squad, are assisting throughout the weekend.
"We will have a full staff of officers in uniform and undercover working the entire event," he said.
About 100,000 to 150,000 fans are anticipated to be in the downtown area as sporting festivities get underway.
The sights and sounds of the grand prix is a paradise from motorsports enthusiasts like Christopher Taliaferro.
“There’s a really big motorsport community out here in Florida and I’ve been doing personally some racing for many years now, and I’ve been to Sebring, I’ve been to Daytona, and St. Petersburg was the last one to check off the list for me,” the fan from Orlando said.
Taliaferro has attended all four days of the race, along with his two-and-a-half year old son, Felix.
“Every day has just been really nice," Taliaferro said. "It’s really loud, really entertaining, really fast cars and especially where we are right now, there’s been a lot of action.”
Keeping families like Taliaferro's safe at such a large event is law enforcement's top priority.
Holloway advised attendees to be prepared to pass through security checks at admission and secure any phones, wallets and purses. Officers, both in uniform and undercover, monitored the track on foot.
“They don’t put your bags through metal detectors, which I was wondering about, but outside of that they check through your bags and make sure you don’t have any metal items on you and overall I do feel safe here," Taliaferro said.
That sentiment was echoed by other fans, like Kathy Bromberg, who says the grand prix is her favorite family outing.
“They did a great job checking everybody, and they were double-checking as you went through security — your bags and each person — as they went through the checkpoint as you came in. You had metal detectors and then a second wand,” she said.
Holloway said he hopes he and his officers can continue to provide that sense of safety and security so that families can continue to enjoy the thrill of the race.
St. Pete Police also encouraged the public to say something if they see something. Fans can call the police department at 727-893-7780 or text "SPPD" and a tip to 847-411 (TIP-411).