The Florida State Fair season has come to an end and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Florida State Fair Authority, announced an overall decrease in ejections and arrests this year.
With new policies and guidelines in place, the number of ejections from the fair decreased by more than 60%. Arrests at the fair also decreased by approximately 20%.
In 2022, there were 196 ejections and 10 arrests. This year, there were 101 ejections and eight arrests.
“This is a great improvement,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a news release. “With the strong partnership we have with the Florida State Fair, we are committed to ensuring that fairgoers have a fun and safe time each and every year.”
This year, the fair implemented a policy that required all guests who are 17 years old or younger to be accompanied by an admission-paying parent or guardian that is 21 years old or older, after 6 p.m. New policies also included that the accompanying adult must show a valid ID upon entry.
“Our goal is one,” Chronister said. “With the fair's new policies, we want every fairgoer to leave the State Fair with a positive experience. I am confident we will continue to see a decrease in ejections and arrests as we continue to work with the State Fair to find ways to strengthen security measures.”
