There will be a police presence at the event.
It will be fireworks and fun at Baker Park on Monday, July 4th. Thousands of people are expected to converge on the park to celebrate Independence Day.
Lieutenant Dennis Dudley with the Frederick Police Department urges visitors to be aware of their surroundings. “The Department of Homeland Security is issuing a heightened threat for the Fourth of July. But there’s no credible threat from the FBI’s office for that specific event,” he says.
Nonetheless, Lieutenant Dudley says police officers will be there to make sure everyone is safe. “If you see something that doesn’t look right, there will be police officers all through the park. Contact a police officers and we’ll look into it,” he says.
For anyone whose planning to drive to the event, Lieutenant Dudley recommends you park away from the Park because many surrounding roads will be closed. They are:
*West 2nd Street between North Bentz Street and College Avenue
* College Avenue between West 2nd Street and Carroll Parkway
*Carroll Parkway between North Bentz Street and North Jefferson Street
* Upper College Terrace between Fleming Avenue and West 2nd Street
* All of Fleming Avenue.
Visitors can park in the city’s parking decks for free on July 4th.
Dudley says the crowds at Baker Park will grow steadily throughout the day, and most visitors will want to leave after the fireworks display is over. He says those who come to the park may end up taking a different route when they leave. Motorists may have to wait an extended period of time to get out of the area after the fireworks show is over. Citizens are urged to be patient.
During the daytime activities, Lieutenant Dudley says you can bring a picnic lunch, but you cannot bring alcohol into the park. Visitors who want to enjoy a beer can go the beer garden.
You should also bring plenty of bottled water, sunscreen and hand held umbrellas as the weather may change throughout the day.
Lieutenant Dudley says leave your pets at home. “We had an incident a long time ago when a pet got loose in the fireworks,” he says. “It’s for the safety of the pets and everyone involved that there’s no pets allowed in the park.”
If you get separate from your children, Lieutenant Dudley says notify a police officer or come to the police command center. “The police command post will be in the 100 block of College Avenue, right at West 2nd Street,” he says.