Michigan State Police Change Event Security Policies

The Michigan State police will increase their presence at events and a no bag policy has been instated at indoor athletic facilities.

Michigan State University police announced a few changes to the school’s campus event policies “in light of concerns both nationally and internationally,” according to an MSU statement released Tuesday.

The changes include a no bag policy for all events at indoor athletic facilities and a more visible MSU police presence at high-profile events.

The new policy, which will be implemented at facilities like the Breslin Center and Munn Ice Arena, takes effect immediately.

The no bag policy is similar to the one already in place for football games. All bags including purses, large bags, camera and binocular cases and other similar bags are prohibited.

The policy will also be in place for concerts and other special events in the university’s athletic venues.

People with medical supply needs will have their bags searched and tagged and those with other personal needs should put those items in a clear, gallon-sized bag. At football games at Spartan Stadium, people with medical supply needs are encouraged to enter through gates C or K.

The increased Michigan State police presence will be seen at all MSU football games at Spartan Stadium.

Spartan Stadium has an official capacity of 115,000 but has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000 since it was built in 1927.

Permitted items in Spartan Stadium include:

  • Seat cushions without backs or zippered sections that cannot be used as a bag
  • Binoculars (but leave the case at home)
  • Pagers and cell phones (but leave selfie-sticks at home)
  • Small cameras and radios (but leave cases at home)
  • Blankets and rain apparel (no umbrellas)
  • One factory sealed 20-oz. bottled water per person

Prohibited items at Spartan Stadium besides bags include alcoholic beverages, camcorders, tripods, selfie sticks, strollers, umbrellas and flags.

“It’s probably just a safety measure to make sure nothing happens, when you have such a large group of people in one concentrated area it’s very easy for something bad to happen,” MSU junior Kaitlin Chanin told wxyz.com.

Though there have been no specific threats made, police, athletic and campus leaders reminded members of the MSU community to always remain vigilant and be aware of their surroundings.

“If you see something, say something; it is always better to be safe,” the statement read.

If attendees witness a crime, they can text the word ‘MSUPD’ and an anonymous message to 274637. The line goes to the Michigan State Police Department.

In the case of any emergency during a campus event, MSU Police use the MSU Alert system to notify students, staff and faculty of any threat and the appropriate action to take.

 

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About the Author

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Zach Winn is a journalist living in the Boston area. He was previously a reporter for Wicked Local and graduated from Keene State College in 2014, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and minoring in political science.

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