KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Big 12 Tournament is back, and despite a pandemic forcing some changes, police say people can still expect a safe environment.
Fan capacity will be at 20% inside the T-Mobile Center during the tournament, and KCPD said people in the Power and Light District may notice fewer police officers.
"In normal times, you know, we expect for crowds in the 10,000 range in and around the Power and Light block area. And then another 17 to 20,000 inside the arena, so that's, you know, upwards of 30-35,000 people in that immediate vicinity. And with the limitations of crowds this year we know that it will be just in the small number of 1,000s inside the arena and then what the live block holds with proper protocols," explained KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.
Becchina stressed that just because the official on-duty police presence is smaller because of fewer fans, it doesn't mean there will be any less officers in the area.
The department spokesperson said there will be off-duty officers working security inside the arena and at nearby bars and restaurants in the Power and Light District.
While police will be in the area to ensure safety, visitors to the area are being reminded to be vigilant about protecting personal property from thieves.
"If you do have valuables in the form of luggage or bags or other items like that, lock them in a trunk, keep them out of sight of your vehicle, and obviously the simple act of just locking your vehicle. We do find vehicles that are left unlocked and attended," Becchina said.
