Security Forces Prepare For Date Festival

By Rodney Wardle, News Channel 3 Reporterrwardle@kesq.comINDIO – Charlie Boghosian, better known as ‘Chicken Charlie,’ has served up his fried food at the date festival for over a decade without a problem”In all the years I’ve worked here I don’t remember ever seeing any kinds of fights. In 14 years, I’ve never seen anything like that,” says Boghosian.And David Chandler hopes to keep it that way.He owns Coachella Valley Security, who took over security for the festival last year. The county switched to his company to save money. Chandler says there was only one arrest last year and he hopes this year it’s even lower.”Zero. We’re gonna try for zero tolerance policy and zero arrests is what were looking for,” says Chandler.Security serves as the eyes and ears for the Riverside County Sheriffs Department. They man the entrances and patrol the park.Around 60 guards for the over 270 vendors.It’s a lot of ground to cover, so they’re using bikes and golf carts and stay in constant communication.One new piece of equipment security is using are motorized carts that look like chariots.Chandler says it helps them see above crowd, patrol the parking lots and find missing kids.”If we’re up at a higher angle and can see people looking around as if they’ve lost somebody,” says Chandler.Guards will be out 24 hours a day patrolling the park for the next 2 weeks, and Boghosian, for one, says it makes a big difference.”I expect it to be another safe year,” says Boghosian.