Detroit Police Confident in NFL Draft Security

The city of Detroit will be hosting a couple of big sporting events in the next few months, including the Midwest Regional of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and the NFL Draft.  

The Midwest Regional will be taking place March 29 and 31 at Little Caesars Arena, while the NFL Draft will be occurring April 25-27 in and around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit. 

The draft, which has been hosted in multiple different locations since 2015, is expected to bring north of 300,000 people to Detroit this April. And with it comes the need for an increased police presence in and around the city. 

Detroit Police Chief James White, during a recent interview with Lansing-based TV station WILX-TV, assured the viewing audience that his police department will be ready for the heightened level of activity brought by the draft. 

The department's efforts will be aided by the inclusion of gun-free zones, helicopters, undercover officers and the usage of the department’s real-time crime center.

"Very confident in our plan, very confident in our partnerships and certainly very confident in our community,” White said to the Lansing-area TV station. 

Additionally, White conveyed that he and his department, in making their final preparations for the draft, will be closely examining the shooting that occurred at the Kansas City Chiefs' championship parade Wednesday.  

“Certainly, we look at what’s happened, and we’re going to study it like we study unfortunately the other events that have happened throughout our country already this year and just learn from them,” White expressed.

The draft -- which will also feature musical performances, interactive exhibits and autograph sessions, among several different events -- will be free to attend.

Here are other headlines surrounding the Lions on Feb. 17.

• The Detroit Free Press reported on a couple of Lions fans that had reservations at the Detroit Club, during the time of the NFL Draft, canceled on them. The Hilton Garden Inn in Detroit came through in the clutch for the fans, providing the couple with a hotel room at the same rate.
• The Athletic opened up a mailbag, looking at what Detroit general manager Brad Holmes will do in free agency and the draft.     
• Lions Wire took a look at Jared Goff's success under center during the 2023 season. 
• Woodward Sports conducted an interview with DetroitLions.com senior writer Tim Twentyman, examining the Lions' potential plans during free agency and the draft.