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Schools work to keep gameday safe

Posted at 12:20 AM, Sep 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-21 09:48:49-04

Over the past several weeks 2 Works For You has been telling you how schools and local campuses prepare for active shooters, but what about making sure the game day environment is safe?

There's a whole group of law enforcement that makes sure you and the fans and the players all go home safely.

It's an Oklahoma tradition like no other... Friday night lights in Oklahoma.

While Bishop Kelley is playing Tulsa Memorial, administrators are working behind the scenes.

“For anyone who works in the schools today... safety is at the top of all of our agendas," said Father Gary Kastl, President of Bishop Kelley High School.

Bishop Kelley's Athletic Director, Lance Parks, said they start with the core security measures you see on a normal school day and build from there.

“Philosophically we kind of handle things the same way. Obviously, we have security here on a varsity football night, varsity basketball nights. We have larger crowds on our campus," said Parks.

Bishop Kelley hires off-duty Tulsa Police officers to not only keep the peace between fans but also provide a visible presence.

“Emotions are tied heavily to athletics in a school you know, positive and negative and you've got to monitor that certainly and we try to do the best job we can of representing ourselves, representing our school, how our students behave and certainly how our fans behave as well," said Parks.

The discussion about safety at athletic events starts way before kickoff.

"Whether it's all school mass, whether it's football games or some other events, we're always constantly asking, ‘where are our soft spots and where do we need to make sure we're providing the necessary security in kind of blanket coverage...'" said Kastl.

Outside the planning, administrators do what they do best.

“Educating our students on what our expectations are and certainly doing the same for our fans-communicating those things I think goes a long way. Our community does a pretty good job representing itself," said Parks,

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