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Heavy law enforcement presence planned for Supernats event
CANFIELD
When hundreds of hot rods cruise down U.S. Route 224 each night this weekend, they’ll be joined on the route by a number of other vehicles: police cruisers.
Boardman police, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Canfield police will be working together to control traffic along the busy thoroughfare down which the Hot Rod Supernationals will drive tonight, Saturday and Sunday. Canfield Fair police will handle enforcement within the fairgrounds.
The Supernats are back at the Canfield Fairgrounds for the second consecutive year. After the event at the fairgrounds ends for the day, many of the vehicles will gather for an after-party in the Southern Park Mall parking lot. To get there, the hot rods will drive in a procession down Route 224.
Although officials expressed some concern after the announcement in 2015 that the Supernats would return to Canfield – for the previous decade, the event was at Quaker City Motorsports Park in Salem – this year, they are more confident that the event won’t be an issue.
“It seems like last year we had some success with keeping the mess off 224 and keeping it at the mall,” said Boardman Police Chief Jack Nichols. “The mall will be the central part of it that happens in Boardman.”
He said issues that the township had prior to 2006, when the Supernats previously were at the fairgrounds, were not an issue last year.
Boardman will have extra police cruisers out to handle traffic enforcement, as will several other law-enforcement agencies.
Maj. Jeff Allen of the county sheriff’s office said several deputies will be stationed along 224 to help with traffic enforcement. OSHP troopers also will assist.
In Canfield, where the nightly cruise will begin, extra patrol cars also will be out.
“We will have extra patrol units deployed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and their focus will be making sure that everyone is driving safe,” said Canfield Police Chief Chuck Colucci.
Colucci said that after meeting with event organizers, he is not concerned that the event will pose a problem for public safety.
“They have a good understanding of law enforcement’s perspective on the event,” he said. “I think we share a common goal: To keep everyone safe and have everyone enjoy the cars while maintaining order.”
The fairground gates are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The nightly after-party begins at 6 tonight and Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. The event typically draws approximately 3,000 hot rods, muscle cars and street machines from around the country.