Every CMPD officer will work Friday for CIAA, Billy Graham funeral

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two major events are taking place in Charlotte Friday, which means that every Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer will report for duty.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced Wednesday that 1,900 officers will be available to work both events.

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The CIAA games are already happening at Bojangles Arena, but on Thursday the games will be back in uptown Charlotte at the Spectrum Center. That means 100,000 people will begin pouring into the city for the games and the events surrounding it.

People have already started to check into hotels in uptown and at restaurants and venues.

There are also events surrounding the CIAA that officers will keep an eye on.

Police said there are rare situations, like in 2017 when more than 100 rounds were fired at rapper Young Dolph, which hit his bulletproof car and homes nearby.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Maj. Gerald Smith said investigators started working to target problems areas weeks ago.

"They do a great deal of work to see if there is any kind of beef going on between entertainers," Smith said.

Smith said there was a new event permitting process developed after the shooting last year that will let police know where parties are planned, but often events are added at the last minute.

"Artists who come into town for one event during the week will often be booked at another event just like that," Smith said.

The bulk of the crowd will be in Charlotte at the same time that thousands of people, including President Donald Trump, will be in the city for the funeral of Rev. Billy Graham.

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The funeral will take place near the airport starting in the early afternoon and CIAA crowds are expected to grow later in the afternoon into the early evening.

Police said that will ease traffic to some degree and makes it easier to cover both events.

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