Three key holiday events share $25,000 in city funds to help with security

CEDAR RAPIDS - The City Council has steered city funds to three significant Fourth of July holiday events to help the events pay for city-required security.

The Freedom Festival will get $15,000 for security for its Fourth of July fireworks show, which is returning to the downtown.

In addition, the Alliant Energy Fifth Season 8-K Race on July 4 gets $5,000 for security as does the Cedar Boat Club for its July 3 fireworks show at the Ellis Park Boat Harbor.

The $25,000 total is the entire amount that the City Council has put in the Police Department's annual budget for overtime pay for public events, and Police Chief Greg Graham in recent weeks has asked for council direction, noting that the city has many other events which likewise have security costs.

Council members have pointed out the primacy of the three Fourth of July holiday events, and representatives of each of the events has made a plea to the council for help in covering security costs.

The city requires the events to use off-duty Cedar Rapids police officers with some help from the Police Department's reserve officers and deputies and officers from other departments.

Cedar Rapids police Capt. Steve O'Konek on Wednesday noted that the council allocation to the events will not cover the total security costs for any of the events.

O'Konek said the Police Department has worked with each of the events to make the police coverage “as slim as it possibly can be in addition to making it as safe as it can be.”