State Police: Ensuring Football Teams' Safe Travels

College football coaches are often accompanied by police officers or state troopers on the sidelines during games. This tradition, which dates back nearly 50 years, is said to have originated with Bear Bryant, the head coach at the University of Alabama, and spread across the South as other coaches and schools aspired to emulate him. While the presence of law enforcement is partly about safety and ease of movement through large crowds, it is also about status for both the coach and the officers, who often find themselves in the background of TV shots. In some cases, these officers are granted temporary jurisdiction or deputized by the local sheriff, allowing them to act as security or bodyguards for the coach. However, their primary role is to provide advance intelligence, arrange travel routes, and coordinate with local law enforcement to ensure the team's safety during road trips.

The police are there to protect the coach and to help them move through crowds

The presence of police officers at football games is largely about protecting the coach and helping them move through crowds. While the coach is surrounded by their team, the players are focused on the game and may not be able to protect their coach in the case of an attack. The police officers are there to deter any potential attackers and to physically protect the coach if needed.

The police presence is also about ease of movement through crowds, especially when the team is travelling. The officers work with local law enforcement to coordinate team movements from the airport to the hotel, stadium, and back. They also provide advance intelligence on road trips and help arrange travel routes.

In some cases, the police officers may be there more for show or as a tradition. They may act as bodyguards without jurisdiction, being present but not actively carrying out police duties. However, they can still act as a deterrent and provide a sense of security for the coach.

The tradition of police officers accompanying football coaches is believed to have started with Bear Bryant, the head coach at the University of Alabama, in 1958 or 1959. From there, it gradually spread around the South, with rival Auburn University adopting the practice soon after. Today, it is common for coaches in the South to have police escorts, and the practice has also spread to other parts of the country.

They are also there to increase the coach's status and that of the police force

The presence of state police with football teams is largely about status. It is a tradition that dates back nearly 50 years, with Alabama State Police Major Cary Sutton believing that legendary coach Bear Bryant first got a trooper escort in 1958 or 1959, his first year as head coach at Alabama. The practice then spread to other schools in the South, with coaches and schools trying to emulate Bryant.

The presence of state troopers adds to the aura of the coach and the team, making them seem more important. It also boosts the prestige of the police force, giving them a "plum detail" if they are football fans. The troopers get to be part of the football environment, and they receive perks such as swag, bowl rings, and dinners with the team.

The state police also help with ease of movement through crowds and provide security, although this is not their primary function. They assist with traffic management, escorting the team to and from the stadium, airport, and hotel. They also provide advance intelligence on road trips and help coordinate travel routes.

While the state police are there for protection, it is more about deterrence and ease of movement than responding to serious threats. Their presence helps coaches move through fired-up or liquored-up crowds and ensures ease of exit from the field, especially in the case of an upset victory by the home team.

The tradition of police escorts for football coaches began with Bear Bryant

The tradition of police escorts for football coaches is often associated with Bear Bryant's experience at the University of Alabama. Bryant, a charismatic and influential figure in college football, often wore distinctive houndstooth hats to games, which became a trademark of his style. These hats were highly sought-after by fans, who would try to steal them, presumably for monetary gain or as a memento. To protect himself and his hats from overzealous fans, Bryant hired police escorts, thus starting a tradition that has endured and expanded beyond Alabama.

The primary reasons for police escorts for football coaches are safety and timely arrival at the stadium. College football coaches, particularly those of renowned teams, can become celebrities, attracting intense attention from fans. While most fans have positive intentions, the potential for negative feelings or threatening situations cannot be ruled out. Police escorts serve as a deterrent and provide protection for the coaches. Additionally, police escorts help coaches navigate traffic and ensure punctuality, especially in busy urban areas where stadiums are often located.

It is worth noting that the use of police escorts for football coaches has drawn some criticism. Concerns have been raised about the potential conflict with the primary purpose of police departments, which is to protect citizens and enforce laws. The practice of providing escorts for coaches, especially when police resources are limited, has been deemed by some as a misuse of police privileges and a potential risk to the safety of civilians. Nonetheless, the tradition of police escorts for football coaches, initiated by Bear Bryant, continues, particularly in college football, where it is more prevalent than in professional leagues.

Police escorts are more common in the South and less common in the West

Police escorts for football teams are more common in the South and less common in the West. This is a tradition that dates back to a time when people paid more attention to funeral processions, which are also more commonly associated with the South.

The practice of everything coming to a halt in the presence of a funeral procession is an old tradition that originated during a time of unpaved roads and tightly-knit communities. While this tradition has become obsolete and impractical, funeral processions with police escorts are still more noticeable in the South.

In some small towns in the South, people still pull over and give the procession a wide berth. This cultural significance of funeral processions in the South may contribute to the higher prevalence of police escorts for football teams in the region.

Additionally, police escorts are provided for funerals of fallen officers, local politicians, activists, celebrities, and high-profile individuals, which may be more common in the South. The South also has a strong culture surrounding college and university football teams, which could contribute to the higher prevalence of police escorts for these teams.

On the other hand, police escorts are less common in the West, where the culture and traditions surrounding funeral processions and football teams may differ. The West may have different priorities and practices when it comes to police resources and community events, which could contribute to the lower prevalence of police escorts for football teams in the region.

The police also provide advance intelligence and arrange travel routes

The police escort for football teams is not just for show. They are responsible for providing advance intelligence on road trips and arranging travel routes to and from football stadiums and airports. This involves driving to the location ahead of the team to scout out the best traffic routes and logistics. For example, Lt. Charles Ward and his team from Troy University drove to San Francisco a few days ahead of the team to plan the travel route for a bowl game.

When Alabama plays an away game at rival Tennessee, Maj. Cary Sutton and his detail from the Alabama State Police will leave their post in Montgomery and drive to Knoxville a couple of days before the game. They meet with the local police to discuss traffic logistics for the pre-game practice and game day, and to arrange the team's travel to and from the stadium and airport. They also provide security for the team at the hotel and during the pre-game walk-through at the stadium.

The police escort continues during the game, with officers stationed at either end of the team area on the sidelines. They remain with the team until the team's departure from the stadium to the airport, and they may even stay overnight at the location. This is to ensure the team's safety and ease of movement through crowds, as well as to provide status for both the coach and the officers themselves.

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