Mayweather v McGregor fight sees cops draft in dozens of extra officers and a mobile PRISON to deal with rowdy fans during Las Vegas showdown
Police have warned they wont tolerate disruption as extra officers are drafted on to the city's famous strip
LAS VEGAS cops are drafting in extra officers and even a mobile JAIL to deal with rowdy fans ahead of the Mayweather v McGregor showdown.
Officials told Sun Online there will be at least 80 extra officers at the arena where the mega fight will take place.
Cops are also planning on diverting officers from other parts of the city to the famous Las Vegas Strip to keep the peace before and after Saturday’s boxing event - after McGregor's 2015 brawl with Jose Aldo saw rowdy fans block the famous party boulevard.
A spokesman for the Las Vegas Police Department also told how there will have a mobile jail booking facility outside the T Mobile Arena, where those who step on the wrong side of the law will be arrested, charged and held until they are transported to prison.
The last time Vegas police had such a facility for a big sporting event was Mayweather’s fight against Manny Pacquiao back in 2015.
Sergeant Jeff Clarke said: “We are preparing for the influx of fans - whether or not they are rowdy is going to be up to them.
“We are going to be using all on-duty resources.
“We are looking at adjusting our shifts - we work a day shift, a swing shift and a graveyard shift. All the swing shift officers will be pushed on to the Strip area and the tourist corridors and then our day shift and graveyard officers will cover our normal duties.
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“So there will be extra officers on the Strip. And the T Mobile arena where the fight is being held are paying for extra overtime officers - which is officers on their day off.
“At the venue itself there’ll be 80 officers and there’ll also be a mobile booking facility so rather than taking people all the way to jail we can just book them right in, right there into a bus and then they’ll be taken to jail.
“The last time we did that was for the Mayweather-Pacquio fight. We also do it for New Year’s Eve but that is because we have an extra 300-400,000 extra people in town - for this we’re not anticipating that many.”
Cops warned they won’t tolerate behaviour such as that which took place at Conor McGregor’s fight against Jose Aldo back in December 2015 - where crowds of rowdy Irish fans brought Las Vegas Blvd to a standstill.
In the footage, dozens of McGregor flood the famous strip singing, waving flags and angering motorists.
Sgt Clarke added: “We won't allow any kind of behaviour like that - and it doesn’t matter if it’s a big fight or not - we don’t tolerate any kind of civil disobedience.
“We understand that people are excited and a lot of these things - like in the video - occur spur of the moment.
“But we would encourage people not to step out into the road, don’t block traffic.
“If that becomes an issue we have plenty of officers that will be down there and we will open the street back up whether that’s by arresting people or giving them a warning.
“Numerous warnings are usually given but it’s a safety issue. A 200 pound person versus a 4,000 pound car - we know who’s going to win.”
The police force aren’t anticipating many more arrests than an average weekend in the American party capital - although they said more cops on the street may see more revellers incarcerated.
They have advised boxing fans not to drink and drive and not to get separated from pals.
Sgt Clarke told fans: “We want you to have a good time it’s Vegas, it’s party town and this is a very exciting fight between two very charismatic individuals and we’re looking forward to it being a safe, fun weekend for everybody.
“Don’t drink and drive, know your surroundings and if you’re in a group try not to get separated from them. Enjoy it and hopefully it turns out to be a good fight.”
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