After months of prep, Bristol PD ready for July 4 parade

July 3, 2019 5:15 pm

BRISTOL, RI (WLNE) – It takes months for the Bristol Fourth of July Parade to come together but it also takes time for Bristol Police to come up with a solid plan that keeps the anticipated crowd of 65,000 safe during the celebration.

Police do admit that it’s a monumental task that requires assistance from surrounding departments, state and federal law enforcement, and even the National Guard.

Capt. Scott McNally said that planning star all the way back in April, and his officers are still hashing out the last minute details right up until the start and finish of the parade.

Capt. McNally said first and foremost, officers on foot, bicycle, and motorcycles will be on the lookout for anything that looks out of the ordinary.

“The parade route will be lined with uniformed officers. [Spectators] can go up to any one of them. If they do see something suspicious we will investigate it,” McNally said.

McNally is also reminding parents to keep their children in their sights at all time, as there will be a lot of pedestrian traffic. He said the department has had hiccups in the past.

“Usually every year we have a child wander away,” he said. “We ask that people keep their eye on their children.”

This will be Bristol’s 234th celebration and McNally’s 21st as a police officer. He said that security has never been as thorough as it is now.

“9/11 changed a lot of the way we do things when you’re planning for these types of events,” he said. “Every single year we find something different we try to adjust as we go.”

Bristol Police will also have officers out on DUI patrol.