Houston police make their presence known during Freedom Over Texas celebration
HOUSTON - Police were out in full force Monday patrolling at Freedom over Texas in downtown Houston.
An estimated 50,000 people were expected to attend the event in celebration of Independence Day.
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"We are putting a lot of resources here to make sure the public is safe," said Executive Assistant Houston Police Chief James Jones.
Local, state, and federal agencies patrolled the celebration from the air and on the ground. Officers were seen on horseback, ATV’s, and on foot. Each attendee was required to enter through security checkpoints. At each entrance, there were metal detectors.
"We have taken every precaution we can," said Jones. "We have hundreds of officers here. We’ve got specialized units. We have it covered as well as we can. [That] doesn’t mean nothing can happen, but it means we can do everything we can practically do at this point."
The large crowd arrived early with temperatures in Houston peaking close to 100 degrees. Cooling stations were set up to help people stay cool and hydrated.
"It’s a little bit hot, but it’s great to be here," said one attendee.
This was the first Freedom over Texas Fourth of July celebration in three years. The previous two were canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions.
"I love it," said one guest. "I’m excited. I can hardly wait to see all the fireworks."