Increased Police Visibility Planned for Beaver Stadium

Fans attending Penn State home football games this fall can expect to see more law enforcement around Beaver Stadium.

Starting with the home opener against Appalachian State on Sept. 1,  officers in tactical gear will be at each entry gate, according to a university news release. Members of the Centre County Tactical Response Team in full protective gear also will conduct patrols in and around the stadium, in addition to the normal police presence throughout game day.

University Police and the FBI recently investigated a threat involving Beaver Stadium made on social media, but Keith Morris, chief of police at University Park, said the increased police visibility is not in response to any specific threat and has been in the works for several months.

The measures are part of ongoing efforts to implement best practices for game day security.

“On a typical game day, personnel from numerous law enforcement agencies at local, state and federal levels are on hand to assist in providing security,” Morris said. “This additional step is parallel with measures already being taken by major sports venues, transit hubs and similar sites across the United States, and is part of our effort to continually evaluate and improve our security operations.”

Penn State has increased police presence at sporting events and other large-scale activities, supplemented by outside agencies including local departments and state police.

At Beaver Stadium, security measures are regularly reviewed, according to police. Current visible practices include security screenings at entry gates using metal detection wands. Backpacks, bags and purses are not permitted and any item brought into the stadium is inspected.

“The safety and security of students, employees and visitors remains the top priority for Penn State,’ said David Gray senior vice president for finance and business, which oversees University Police and Public Safety. ‘Tens of thousands of fans gather at Beaver Stadium for each home football game, and we regularly review and update our safety procedures. This prudent increase in police visibility aligns with best practices.”