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Stadiums react to terrorism warning from government

September 24, 2009

Following an alert from the Department of Homeland Security warning stadiums could be a target for terrorists, security measures at Spartan Stadium remain unchanged and MSU police officials said they’re prepared.

Police departments across the country were cautioned, leading some to turn to more strict security regulations. At the University of Michigan, bags will be barred from the football stadium for this weekend’s game against Indiana, public information officer Diane Brown said.

The MSU police department’s emergency management team was prepared prior to the alert’s release, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said.

Department officials are committed to ensuring the community’s safety — constantly testing and updating emergency measures, she said.

“The necessary steps have been taken to ensure the safety of individuals attending football games,” Taylor said, declining to elaborate on specifics.

“We remain vigilant in making certain the safety of the Michigan State University community comes first — and that includes students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

Umbrellas, flags, flagpoles and bags larger than 5.5 inches wide, 8.5 inches tall and 2 inches thick cannot be taken into the stadium, in accordance with the stadium’s current policies.

Journalism senior Erica Schopmeyer said she was concerned by the security alert, but didn’t think it was a direct issue for the MSU community.

“I don’t feel like MSU is some sort of target, or any university in general,” she said. “Maybe if we were bigger and better at football, it would be slightly more of a concern.”

At the University of Wisconsin, where MSU plays Saturday, the stadium security policy was reviewed but unchanged, said Lt. Jason Whitney, who oversees special events at the school.

Under the current policy, fans are prohibited from bringing any items into the game, Whitney said.

Police feel confident they are ready in the case of an emergency, he said.

“We do feel we’re very prepared and are doing what we can to make security our No. 1 priority,” he said.

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