RTS press conference: ‘Have a plan and take precautions, but obey and respect the law’

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office hosted a Rock the South press conference/safety meeting on Wednesday, July 17, at the CCSO Training Center. Sheriff Matt Gentry, Cullman Police Chief David Nassetta and Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker answered questions from local media sources.

“On behalf of the sheriff’s office we typically handle most of the stuff on the outside perimeter of the venue and we also have our mobile jail on-site: our place for people who make bad decisions,” Gentry said. “Realistically, though, we will be all hands on deck; we will have 100 of our deputies (from the CCSO and neighboring sheriff’s offices) getting traffic in and out and dealing with pedestrians. This is one thing to remember though – we have thousands and thousands of people coming to a venue that’s out in the county, but the property it’s on is in the city. The county is dry, which means you can’t have alcohol in those areas, but the venue is wet, which is kind of unique for people.”

Gentry said having a plan for what you’re doing after walking to the venue is key for safety after the event.

“So when you are coming to the venue after parking, you need to have a plan,” Gentry said. “You could be parking a mile away, so you need to pin that on your phone or save it in some way so after the event is over you can get back to your vehicles safely. Also make sure you have a designated driver. When the event is over all the traffic will be flowing one way: out. You cannot come into the traffic.  So keep that in mind when you are leaving. If you are picking up someone, we have a designated pick-up area at the intersection of Leonard Road and Swafford Road or what we call Logan. Deputies will be manning all intersections.”

Gentry also cautioned attendees about weather awareness and walking awareness getting to and inside the venue.

‘Wearing brand new shoes and walking a mile in them will end up being a situation where you take them off and walk barefoot back to your car. Those county roads are not forgiving, so be prepared for that,” Gentry said. “Hydration is the other thing. Please be sure to drink plenty of water before and during this event. It is going to be hot and humid. We have more heat-related incidents than anything else. We will have medical tents on-site to get you any help you need.”

The CPD will have numerous officers inside the event, Nassetta said.

“We will have both CPD officers and officers from other agencies working inside the venue,” he said. “We want everybody to have a good time, we want everybody to feel safe and we want everybody to stay healthy. …there’s a lot of concern for the heat, and it looks like we’re going to be helped a little bit by rain and  hopefully some cooler temperatures, but still… Please be prepared for that. Indulging in too much alcohol is another thing to be concerned with. It’s going to get you dehydrated, it can make you make poor decisions and eventually put you on our radar. We want everyone to have a good time, but if you start misbehaving, we will take you out of the equation. It is a ticketed event and as such, we can kick you out.”

Crocker said the average cost of a DUI is $15,000 – and that’s if you don’t hurt someone else or hurt yourself.

“We want everyone to have a good time; we plead that you don’t drink and drive – have a designated driver or a plan in place,” he said. “With the large police presence at the event, we hope that we don’t see a lot of arrests or incidents. That’s why we are having the press conference to tell the public ahead of time to have a plan and take precautions, but obey and respect the law.”

For a full list of dos and don’ts at Rock the South, visit www.rockthesouth.com .

Editor’s note: Quotes are partial; to see the full press conference, visit www.facebook.com/cullman.sheriff .

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