Pontotoc Vigilant in Security at Weekend Basketball Classic

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PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) — In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, area law enforcement officers are vigilant in their efforts to keep people safe.

The school buses were parked outside Pontotoc High School.

People from out of town came to watch their favorite teams at the Bank of Pontotoc Classic. And in light of the horrific terrorist attack in Paris, security is definitely a concern.

“We’re always concerned about security especially at all our events, ” says Pontotoc High School Principal Paul Henry. “We’ve got security plans in place. We do heighten our security under our bigger events just to ensure that our fans can have an enjoyable event and also so they can have an enjoyable safe event,” Henry stresses.

There were thousands of fans inside the stadium in Paris for the soccer match between Germany and France when the terrorist struck outside the stadium and other venues around the city. And even here in the heartland of America Pontotoc Mississippi security is very important.
Officer Jim Littlejohn is a law enforcement officer.

“In light of what has happened through the events in Paris, we have to be vigilant of everything that’s going on regardless of where it is even that is in Paris we have to mindful of it here because it could happen here just as easy as it did there. So we just have to be vigilant of what’s going on the surroundings and what people are doing that are coming to these events,” he says.

Raymond Craven is the Boys basketball coach at Baldwyn who came to watch the action, even though his team is not participating.

“It’s obviously a tragedy. Of course in America hopefully we’re as safe as possible but you’ve always got to have that in the back of your mind, ” he points out. “On the high school level we have security measures and plans and we have to follow those plans and hopefully be as safe as possible,” Craven notes.

“Don’t worry about the fear because that’s one of things we’re going to do to try to be mindful of what’s going on what’s going on in our surroundings, “Littlejohn emphasizes.” And the public safety is our number one goal anyway so we’re going to be stepping up anything that we have to if something looks to be suspicious we’re going address it at that time, “Littlejohn stresses.

Littlejohn wants to make sure that people coming to Pontotoc events can feel as safe as possible.