Fourth festivities to be protected

ATLANTA - Law enforcement officials across the state will be out in force for July Fourth festivities. <br> <br> The Atlanta Police Department will be one of the state&#39;s busiest, with five major events happening on the Fourth of July -- the Peachtree Road Race, WSB-TV&#39;s Fourth of July parade, the Braves-Cubs game and fireworks at Centennial Olympic Park and Lenox Square Mall. <br> <br> Deputy Chief of Field Operations Wesley Derrick says more officers will be out than usual this holiday. He says he will ask the FAA to make sure no aircraft fly directly over any of the events and police will do bomb sweeps in the crowds. <br> <br> Stone Mountain Park also is recruiting extra help, though officials said they refuse to discuss or be more specific about plans in place at the park for its family activities, mountaintop fireworks and laser shows, which draw thousands to the park throughout the day. <br> <br> The Fourth of July is coming a day early at Fort Benning, near Columbus. The base is expecting thousands at its annual fireworks show, to be held on July third this year, since it will be closed for the holiday. Officials say the same security checkpoints that have been in place since September eleventh will be in use as civilians enter the base. <br> <br> Police in Savannah are keeping a watchful eye on traffic and the homeland -- on land and in the water. Their fireworks show on the Georgia coast attracts people from South Carolina and Florida.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/7/192967