Commissioner Gipson and State Fairgrounds officials addressed security and safety policies and procedures ahead of the upcoming Mississippi State Fair.

Commissioner Gipson was joined by Michael Lasseter, director of the Mississippi State Fairgrounds; Jimmy Herzog, chief of security for the Mississippi State Fairgrounds; Colonel Randy Ginn, director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol; Chief Bo Luckey, Mississippi State Capitol Police; Sheriff Tyree Jones, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office; Captain Mark Hodges, Jackson Police Department; Chief Deputy State Fire Marshall Connie Dolan, and other law enforcement officers.
“Safety and security are our top priority here at the State Fairgrounds,” continued Commissioner Gipson “We had a very safe and successful fair last year, and we plan to implement that same security model at the 2023 State Fair. We’ve expanded and made improvements to our parking lots, adding an additional 850 parking spaces. And we also installed new lighting and cameras around the fairgrounds. This event is for our Mississippi families, and we have worked hard to make the State Fair an enjoyable and relaxing outing for all our citizens. I’m proud of the team we have assembled, and I want to thank our state and local law enforcement partners for all that they do to ensure a safe and family-friendly environment at the
Mississippi State Fair.”

For the 164th Mississippi State Fair, the State Fairgrounds has partnered with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi State Capitol Police, Department of Homeland Security, State Fire Marshal’s Office, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department, Pearl Police Department and Florence Police Department.