Public safety officials prepare for large Belmont crowds

Police detail safety preparations for Belmont Stakes Festival

Police detail safety preparations for Belmont Stakes Festival, which began months ago.

Public safety officials in Saratoga Springs have been preparing for months for the large crowds anticipated for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

The event was moved to Saratoga Springs in 2024 and 2025, due to construction at Belmont Park on Long Island.

The activity kicks off Wednesday with the Belmont on Broadway event, featuring a concert by Blues Traveler. Streets will be shut down.

The event then shifts to Saratoga Race Course, where Police Chief Tyler McIntosh said all the law enforcement partners as well as fire officials, EMS services, cybersecurity and other nongovernmental organizations came together for a training.

“We went to the track and kind of walked through different scenarios,” he said.

Learn more about what police are doing to prepare by watching Subrina Dhammi’s story.

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