Law enforcement officers want to keep things safe
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- About 15,000 people are expected to hit the sand this weekend out at the Canadian River riverbed for the Amarillo Sand Drags race, and several law enforcement agencies will be there too.
The event is organized each year by the West Texas Outlaws Off-Road Club and held at the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.
Thursday the Potter County Sheriff's Department said it will send more officers than in years past.
The Potter County Volunteer Fire Department, game wardens, Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and the National Park Service will also be there.
They say they just want to make sure everything runs smoothly and safely.
"They are out there having a good time, they're not really watching and you've got 15,000 people sitting down there. Somebody's going to get hurt and then you throw in a mix of alcohol and then you really have a problem, so that's our biggest concern," said Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas.
The presence of alcohol worries many.
"I personally wrote I think 25 MIPs last year and we've got the TABC this year that's going to be hitting it in force. So obviously we think that's going to be a deterrent," said game warden Steve Urben.
Last year, Thomas said just one agency wrote more than 100 tickets. Two people had to be air-lifted out of the sand drags and officers responded to one aggravated assault.
Fire officials are concerned about the extra-dry conditions this year and they have placed some big restrictions on fires.
"Burn barrels: no. Campfires: no. Pits: no. Piling wood up on the ground and burning it: absolutely not. There are no open flame allowed," said Potter County Fire Marshall Richard Lake.
Agencies are also concerned about responding to emergencies in the crowd of 15,000 expected people, and ask that everyone be cooperative this weekend.
