Patrons attending this year’s renewal of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, which begins today at the National Stadium, should be able to enter the venue and enjoy a stress-free experience, if new security measures are executed efficiently.

Responding to complaints by spectators over the years, the organisers — Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association — has increased its security budget to $10 million of the total of $80 million to stage this year’s renewal of Champs in an effort to make the experience worthwhile for its many fans.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Terrence Bent was brutally honest when outlining the changes to be effected this year during the press launch two weeks ago. He said that over the years the event had proven to be a “nightmare” for security management, but that they had reviewed previous editions and are now at the point where they can “execute” their security plans properly.

He noted that the composition of the spectators has presented a challenge because “we have teenagers, we have young adults, we have past students, and in the mix we have persons who are undesirables”.

Thus the need for changes, and one of the changes is the relocation of the Ticket Office from beside the Bob Marley statue to the basketball court beside the Stadium Police Station.

Then there is the implementation of a sterile gate management system, where the Jamaica Constabulary Force has partnered with ISSA to assist with logistics and security. The area between the Bob Marley Statue and the National Stadium’s main gate has been designated a sterile area.

Traffic and gate management is this vicinity will be manned by police officers and security teams from Securipro and Atlas.

According to Acting ACP Bent, in the first instance, as at Friday at 2:00 pm, access to the main entrance to Independence Park will be limited and restricted. He said people seeking to enter from Mountain View Avenue on to Arthur Wint Drive will be those attending the event inside the National Stadium. Other vehicular traffic should follow the instructions of the police officers to avoid the immediate area.

On Saturday, from 10:00 am, the same will apply for vehicular traffic.

Regarding venue access, Acting ACP Bent said, “Only persons with tickets that are legally obtained from official vendors and persons with accredited passes will be allowed to enter the sterile area. We are saying this to avoid any embarrassment to anybody without a ticket,” he said.

He also made it clear that everyone entering the venue and those inside are subjected searches. Firearms, knives, all illegal drugs, glass bottles, flag poles over 12 inches, selfie sticks, large umbrellas, lighters, and frozen bottles are all prohibited.

The lawman also said that the venue will be buttressed with eviction teams, particularly in the grandstand, and that anyone caught on closed circuit cameras or by the police throwing any missiles will be ejected from the venue.

There will be two designated entrances to the National Stadium and there is a no re-entry policy to be enforced.

For access to the Bleachers, patrons will use the left side of the main gate. Grandstand ticket holders will enter through the right side of the main gate, and to ensure the free flow of traffic, there will be assigned lanes for individuals with bags and those without bags.

– Ian Burnett