Security Change Planned For Next Year's Fair

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- You'll notice a changing of the guard at the Tulsa State Fair next year.  The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office will no longer be providing security at the fair.

The City of Tulsa annexed the fairgrounds, which means, for the first time; next year the Tulsa Police Department will be providing security.  Since the fair began, nearly 50 years ago, that's been the job of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Tulsa County Sheriff's Sergeant Mark Stevens has worked the fair for 23 years.  He says the sheriff's office has security down to a fine science.  They become experts in crowd control and crowd dynamics.  He says, by far, most fairgoers are law abiding and orderly.

"There's a couple of folks, every once in a while, they come out here because there's someone they want to argue with, but we jump in the middle of those," said Tulsa County Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Stevens.  "You've got to get in the middle of it; you can't sit back and watch the problem fester. You just walk up and smile and that generally gets rid of the problem."

The worst thing that's happened this year at the fair is a woman's throat was cut during a concert.  The injury was never life threatening.

Other than that, there have been a few thefts and some small fights.  

Deputies say the key to keeping trouble to a minimum when you have 100,000 people crammed into a five block area every night is visibility.

"The reason we don't have problems:  we are a deterrent factor. Whenever you're on the midway, there is an officer somewhere close or two or five. That keeps trouble from happening," said Tulsa County Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Stevens.

Tulsa Police officers have been out at the fair every night walking with deputies, talking with deputies and taking notes, so they can make sure next year's fair is as safe as this one has been.

Another thing that will change next year at the fair is everything will cost you three percent more as the City of Tulsa tax is added to every purchase.