The Rochester Puerto Rican Festival begins downtown on Thursday, and police say they are fully staffed and ready in an effort to help keep it a safe celebration.
Police say the festival has historically been known for large crowds getting disorderly and off-road vehicles on the streets. This year, they are carrying out an enhanced safety plan. They have canceled time-off requests for officers and plan to shut down Clinton Avenue between Upper Falls and Norton Street Saturday evening.
“It’s a great night to celebrate cultural heritage; we absolutely respect that,” RPD Capt. Greg Bello said. “We want to make sure everyone has a good time and has a good time safely. The festival site is the site to do that, not taking over the streets of Clinton Avenue.”…