Baltimore Has Increased Security For New Year's Eve Spectacular
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Get ready for another New Year's Eve Spectacular.
Pat Warren reports the city has found sponsors and has a new plan for the night that includes enhanced security.
Local businesses stepped up to rescue Baltimore's cash-strapped New Year's Eve celebration.
"And I'd like to thank everyone for their generous support toward making Baltimore's New Year's Eve Spectacular happen," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Baltimore's last fireworks event, the 4th of July, has triggered some changes in the way the city will handle crowd control. There was a fight in the middle of thousands of peaceful people trying to enjoy the holiday, as well as a man visiting from Alabama who was stabbed to death and a 4-year-old boy who was shot in the leg.
"You know, after we do every large event, we constantly strive to make it better. Just like we're adding new additions with the enhanced light show for the fireworks, we're also trying to enhance security and the flow of traffic," said Rawlings-Blake.
The Inner Harbor New Year's event will adopt the fenced-in look of the Grand Prix, with fencing beginning at Rash Field and rounding Pratt Street to Pier 6. There will be 20 entrances early in the day, which will be cut down to nine by late evening.
"We must constantly improve the way we manage large events and we're creating these access points to help control the flow of traffic to make it a better experience for vehicle traffic, as well as pedestrian traffic," said Rawlings-Blake.
Police are not commenting on the number of officers that will be on duty.
The New Year's Eve Spectacular is sponsored by the Baltimore Sun. WJZ is the media sponsor.
