Columbus-area high schools, police team up on fan safety, security at football games
Even before an incident Aug. 18 at Canal Winchester, in which police seized three modified firearms and arrested four people after a fight at a high school football game, central Ohio athletic administrators and their districts had plans in place in case something similar happened at their schools.
It was the second consecutive year that a gun incident happened during the Canal Winchester-Groveport Madison rivalry game. Last year at Groveport, shots were fired outside of the stadium.
According to Groveport Madison Schools, at least 15 people typically staff each football game — eight administrators, four high school safety and security team members and Groveport and Madison Township police officers. Madison Township police had eight officers working the game Aug. 18.
After the Aug. 18 incident, The Dispatch interviewed school officials across central Ohio about security measures at football games. Nothing is more important to them than making sure fans are safe, which is why schools have law enforcement and security teams at events.
“Anytime you have a large event in the community, you want a solid police presence,” Whitehall-Yearling Athletic Director Bill Hughett said. “We couldn’t do it without the Whitehall police officers.”
During its home night games this season, Whitehall will have extra portable lighting for added safety. Its first home game was played on a Saturday afternoon.
“We want to create more lighting around the area to make sure that any dark places that we have in the parking lot or around the stadium are lit up,” Hughett said. “We normally have four police officers, but we hired a fifth. We’re taking extra precautions — no book bags, no re-entry. We’ve always had a plan in place.”
Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district, announced in February that it was spending more than $3 million to lease 20 Evolv Express advanced weapons detection systems for its high schools under a four-year agreement. At football games, staff members screen fans and remain on site until “all visitors and visiting team members” have left, said Jacqueline Bryant, CCS interim executive director of communications and media relations.
The district’s Office of Safety and Security and building administrators “continue to be present at our games to screen all visitors in attendance,“ Bryant said. “As we did last year, our staff will use handheld wands as part of the entrance screening process.”
Pickerington Central-Pickerington North game closely monitored
Friday’s Pickerington Central-Pickerington North game drew a sellout crowd, one that included few members of the general public because of a tiered ticket rollout intended to serve those closest to both teams and cut down on potential security issues. Parents and students were eligible to buy tickets earlier in the week, each fan base had to enter via the gate closest to their seats and no one was permitted to cross to the other side of the stadium.
Security officers from both schools and the district were present, as were officers from both Pickerington police and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Such precautions helped North juniors Sofia Frangos and Renna Wetherell feel safe, although both lamented incidents elsewhere.
“That does spark some concern for me, but all the security we have here does make me feel safe,” Wetherell said. “It’s upsetting that you can’t just enjoy a high school football game without stuff happening or being worried about safety.”
Frangos made sure to tell her younger sister, Elle, a freshman at North, to stay in a group. Both spent Friday’s game in North’s student section.
“There is safety in numbers,” Sofia said. “We’re just trying to have a good time and enjoy what we are given, these experiences we get.”
Maybe only one issue arose. Fans were not permitted to rush the field, but North students did so anyway following a 39-34 win — only the Panthers’ fifth in 22 games against their crosstown rival.
Some central Ohio school districts decline to detail safety measures
New Albany officials said they don’t provide details of safety plans, which are developed with first responders and homeland security. They disclosed that they have four police officers, 10 to 12 building administrators, three to four district office administrators, three athletic department support staff, the athletic director and eight ticket takers/entrance gate staff.
The Diocese of Columbus declined to share specifics regarding security measures but said officials routinely evaluate staffing, prevention, readiness and response protocols.
Reynoldsburg school officials declined to comment on safety procedures but said the district's Safety and Security Department partners with Reynoldsburg police. The district recently sent families a list of protocols and procedures, including:
All students in grades K-5 must be accompanied by an adult.
Bags are prohibited for those under 18.
"Spectators are asked to remain seated in the stands during the game. Loitering or gathering in the aisles, concourses, ramps, entrances or exits is prohibited."
"Smoking, including electronic cigarettes or other intoxicants, or possession of alcohol are not permitted."
"There will be no roughhousing, running, fighting, use of profanity, or acting in a manner considered to be: offensive, threatening, insulting, humiliating, embarrassing, disruptive, obscene, sexually explicit, gang related, or violent."
The district "will not permit nor condone unsafe, disruptive, or harmful behavior. Any violation of the student code of conduct or the creation of an unsafe environment or condition will be grounds for removal from the game without ticket reimbursement."
Signs also are posted throughout the stadium as a reminder of the expectations.
High school football security requires team effort
Much like football players rely on each other during a game, security also requires a team effort, Dublin Scioto Athletic Director Nick Magistrale said.
“We have at least five uniformed police, plus (Contemporary Services Corp.) security at events,” Magistrale said. “For events that we designate as bigger like the Battle of Hard Road (against Worthington Kilbourne), we would increase that to have more security, more police presence.”
Sometimes, another team must be called in.
Thomas Worthington Athletic Director Molly Feesler said her school has limited police assistance from the city of Worthington because of scheduling issues. Powell Detective and Protection Agency has been hired to supply additional security for home events.
“We don’t allow backpacks,” Feesler said. “We don’t let anyone in free. In the old days, you would quit charging after halftime or at the end of the third quarter and everybody would come in free. I haven’t done that as an athletic director for a number of years. Anything inside, we secure the doors and call it a day.”
Feesler said "100 percent full-proof protection" would require metal detectors at every gate.
“We don’t use metal detectors at this point,” she said. “I don’t know that we ever will.”
The Worthington district's other high school, Kilbourne, is located in Columbus, so it gets help from Columbus police.
“We generally have 24 staff members to work a home football game, plus four police officers,” Athletic Director Jeff Todd said.
Olentangy's four high schools utilize the special duty services of the Delaware County Sherriff’s Office to assist building administrators and athletic directors at football games. If there is an incident, it would be handled by the school if it is a violation of the student handbook or by the special duty deputies if it is a violation of the law.
Dispatch reporters Dave Purpura and Andy Resnik contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus-area high schools, police team up on football security
