Sonoma County Fair officials review, bolster security efforts in wake of Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting

In the minutes following the deadly shooting Sunday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, officials with the Sonoma County Fair were already on their phones.

They were sharing the news, but also reflecting on the 100,000-plus person event they were set to host just four days later.

“It was maybe moments after we were starting to send texts back and forth in light of the event to make sure we were doing everything we can to ensure something of that nature doesn’t happen here,” said Rob Muelrath, fair board president.

The outcome of those texts was a formal meeting Tuesday between fair CEO Becky Bartling and staff, fair security and representatives from the Santa Rosa Police Department.

The Garlic Festival shooter cut through chain-link fence Sunday to gain access to the festival before killing three and injuring 15 others. So the Sonoma County Fair, which starts Thursday, will bolster perimeter patrols for its roughly ?1.5 miles of fairgrounds fence line.

“(The fence line) absolutely was a part of the conversation,” Santa Rosa Police Lt. Ron Nelson said. “The conversation was to make sure we were doing everything we could with the personnel assigned to the event.”

Officials said that means longer perimeter patrols, but they wouldn’t go into greater detail due to security concerns.

Security features in place at past fairs will remain. They include metal detectors, bag checks, contracts with security personnel and both uniformed and plainclothes patrols by the Santa Rosa police.

As always, guns and other weapons are prohibited on the premises.

The fair will spend $150,000 just paying for security personnel, including $90,000 for Santa Rosa officers.

Fair officials also reviewed gate access instructions with staff and will continue daily security meetings held in past years.

They have emphasized vigilance among staff, reiterating the message of “See something, say something” and reviewed the fair’s emergency plan.

“The No. 1 thing I’d like people to understand is we do take the safety and security of our patrons as our No. 1 priority,” said Bartling, the fair manager. “They should feel safe coming to the fair and having a great time.”

Paid attendance dipped by 8% last year, and some concern exists that worries about public safety could further dampen turnout during this year’s run, ending Aug. 11.

“It’s not the first thing we think about, but it’s on our minds,” Muelrath said. “We think about whether patrons are safe, feel safe, and that they’re able to enjoy their time here at the fair.”

Bartling said the fair’s news release and public outreach were about reassuring fairgoers that safety is taken seriously, and even more so in light of the Gilroy massacre.

Fair officials want patrons enjoying this Sunday’s cattle drive, the bevy of free concerts, the monster trucks and more.

“We wanted people to hear about the different types of safety protocols we do and our No. 1 priority is the safety and security of our patrons,” Bartling said.

You can reach Staff Writer Tyler Silvy at 707-526-8667 or at tyler.silvy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter ?@tylersilvy.