"Large Police Presence," Extra Steps Taken At This Year's Alton Expo

Sep 5, 2023 1:44 PM Sep 5, 2023 3:33 PM

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ALTON - The Alton Expo will take place as planned at the Alton Amphitheater from Thursday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Sept. 10, and Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said there will be "a large police presence" at the event as well as private security used at all events at the Alton Amphitheater.

As usual, the Alton Expo will feature live entertainment, rides, games, and of course fair food.

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"The Alton Expo has long been a family friendly event," Chief Ford said. "The safety and security of the event is always a top priority. Given recent altercations at Alton High School, we are implementing additional security protocols for the Alton Expo this year. Specifically, anyone 17 years of age and under will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while at the Alton Expo. Those who are not will be required to leave until they can return with a parental figure."

Ford added that while he has no specific information that leads him to believe that further altercations will take place, "we are taking this proactive measure to ensure everyone can feel safe about attending the Expo. Our goal is to keep everyone safe and this is a great step towards that."

Alton Mayor David Goins said: “After consulting with leadership at the Alton Police Department as well as the Alton Amphitheater Commission and listening to concerns from residents, we felt it best to take additional steps to help ensure the safety of all while attending the Alton Expo. We feel this is a reasonable measure and will help keep the Expo a family friendly environment. I’m looking forward to attending the event and sharing in the fun.”

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