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Safety challenges law enforcement face during 4th of July events

Safety challenges law enforcement face during 4th of July events

CLAWSON, Mich. (WXYZ) — As the nation reels from the tragedy in Highland Park, Illinois Monday, cities across metro Detroit are continuing their July 4th celebrations with heavy hearts and a heightened sense of alert.

From Clawson to Northville, it’s been a day full of activity in metro Detroit. From parades in the morning, to carnivals and fireworks in the evening, everyone is ready to celebrate the Fourth of July.

But in the wake of the tragic shooting just hours earlier in a Chicago suburb, there’s inevitably concern across the country. While law enforcement is prepared, open events pose a challenge.

“The problem is when you have an open venue like that at a carnival for example or a parade, you don’t have fixed points of entry,” said former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Andy Bartnowak, who previously worked in the Detroit field office.

Bartnowak has worked security for multiple major events in metro Detroit, such as the World Series, NCAA Final Four and the MLB All Star games. However, he says events like parades are challenging to secure.

“The bottom line is when you’re having a lot of people in one location and you’re not having a security point for them to enter, it makes it that more difficult,” Bartnowak said. “There’s no way you can really stop everybody and check everybody. So if somebody wants to come in there and cause… chaos and have a shooting, a mass shooting, it’s very difficult to stop.”

At their Fourth of July celebration, Clawson police was fully staffed with help from Michigan State Police, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and a handful of local agencies who were all hoping to keep concerns at bay and make sure the day is celebrated as safe as possible.

“I think the most we as citizens can do is be situationally aware,” Bartnowak said. “Situational awareness is nothing more than being aware of your surroundings… If you see something that doesn’t look right to you, there’s a reason it probably doesn’t look right and that’s when you go and alert security or law enforcement.”

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Beacon Park in Detroit celebrates its 5th year with these summer events

Beacon Park in Detroit celebrates its 5th year with these summer events

DETROIT – Summer in the city keeps getting better and better. The schedule of summer events to be taking place in Beacon Park was just announced and there is something for everyone.

Each month, starting in June, there will be free summer events to attend in the park including an addition to the previous year’s activities such as new outdoor fitness classes.

Beacon Park’s summer programs kick off on Saturday, June 4, with the return of Night Market. One of the popular most popular summer events in the park, Night Market features live music, food trucks, and small businesses to transform Beacon Park into a marketplace. Whether you’re in the market for fine art or a delicious dessert, Night Market has it all.

Summer Sundays will feature Family Fun Days, a popular activity that caters to families, crafts, and live entertainment to keep everyone smiling.

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“We’ve brought exciting summer programs to Beacon Park and downtown Detroit for the community to enjoy for the past five years,” said Lynette Dowler, VP of Public Affairs, DTE Energy. “This summer, we are proud to offer new innovative programs that highlight the beauty of our sustainable green space, while bringing back the annual activities that have become synonymous with summer in Detroit.”

Lynette Dowler – DTE Energy

Beacon Park’s onsite restaurant, Lumen Detroit, is a great spot to enjoy fresh food and craft cocktails all summer before or after these events. Although reservations are recommended, there is limited patio and bar space to accommodate walk-ins.

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