CROWLEY, LA. (KLFY) -- The International Rice Festival, the largest free agricultural festival, is implementing new safety measures this year in Crowley.

Troy Hebert, Crowley Chief of Police, shared how to ensure the safety of attendees, the festival has introduced a clear bag policy and restricted drone usage to those approved by the festival.

"This year we are going with a clear bag policy. It is for our citizens safety, of course. Also you know, drone usage." Hebert said. "The only approved drones are the ones approved by the rice festival. No ice chest, no glass bottles. We prefer everything in a clear bag."

Festival organizers and city law enforcement have made safety their top priority, focusing on crowd control and emergency responses.

"We have increased our number of security. We also added security in the grounds, more security officers, as also off the grounds." Hebert explained. "You are going to see a heavily patrolled area around the festival when you come to and from your car. You will see a lot of officers, especially at night."

Attendees will notice a heavily patrolled area around the festival, especially at night, as law enforcement aims to ensure a safe experience for everyone.

"We want everyone to come out and have a great time. We are looking forward to seeing everybody. You know, you only get it once a year." Hebert added, emphasizing the festival's annual significance.

With enhanced security measures in place, the International Rice Festival aims to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees this year.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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