Charlotte 4th of July Fireworks Deemed Extraordinary Event

CHARLOTTE, NC — Thousands of people gathering to celebrate the USA and watch 4th of July fireworks. For many it’s a big party. For others, it could be an opportunity to strike out against America.

CMPD is taking no chances, declaring Charlotte’s SkyShow an extraordinary event.

“Allows us a little more leeway to be able to stop folks and ask about anything suspicious they may be carrying,” says CMPD Deputy Chief Jeff Estes.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are gearing up for a busy holiday weekend; cracking down on drinking and driving, complaints on neighborhood fireworks and working huge crowds in Uptown, both in and outside of BB&T Ballpark.

On the heels of the Orlando terror attack, and the bombing in Istanbul, Deputy Chief Estes says CMPD is staying sharp and ready.

“Soft targets are in the eye of the beholder,” says Estes. “If you have a walk up, public event, where there’s no searching, organized searching that’s performed, it is a soft target.”

The extraordinary event designation from the city means more officers and expanded searches. Most people feel the extra safety is worth it.

“If you start thinking about all the different things, you’re not going anywhere,” says Uptown resident Sophia Molestina. “You’re staying indoors.”
“Yeah, you can’t go to the supermarket if you’re totally scared of crowds,” says Pete Puckett.
“So, yeah, I wouldn’t have a problem with that,” says Molestina.

Romare Bearden Park will be filled with thousands of people to watch those 4th of July fireworks on Monday, presenting some unique challenges for CMPD. But it’s not the only big event in the next few days. Hillary Clinton and the president will be visiting the Queen City on Tuesday.

The political visit means extra staffing, and extra planning, after the long, holiday weekend. But Charlotte and CMPD have been here before.

“Any visit like that is a heightened security concern for us,” says Deputy Chief Estes. “We work very, very closely with our partners at the secret service on a regular basis. We’ll do so again with this visit.”

The Charlotte SkyShow street party starts at 2:00 p.m. Monday outside BB&T Ballpark. The fireworks display will take place immediately after the Knights’ game against Pawtucket.