With the Chevron Houston Marathon just 16 days away, safety concerns have heightened following the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans. Retired HPD Captain Greg Fremin highlighted the ongoing challenge of protecting large public gatherings, emphasizing the ever-present risk of lone wolf or coordinated attacks. “We have to be right 100% of the time, and we hope they don’t get it right one time,” Fremin stated, underscoring the need for constant vigilance. He acknowledged the vulnerability of open areas like the marathon route, stating, “Can somebody infiltrate the race route? Would it be possible for someone to do that? Absolutely. But we have contingency plans in place for that.”
The marathon typically draws around 300,000 people to the area surrounding Discovery Green and along the race route. In light of recent events, Fremin anticipates increased security measures from law enforcement, potentially including the establishment of “no-drive zones” around key locations like Discovery Green to restrict vehicle access near large crowds. He explained, “You’re going to have a footprint…But it could be expanded, and you might see some more additional road closures coming into this area downtown. So, I would definitely look for something like that happening, and that’s going to basically secure this area from vehicle traffic. It’ll be open for pedestrians, but it’ll be shut down for vehicles.”
While acknowledging the inherent difficulties in ensuring complete security for such a large, open event, Fremin stressed the authorities’ commitment to minimizing risks and swiftly responding to any threats. The Chevron Houston Marathon did not respond to requests for comment. KPRC 2 also reached out to the Mayor’s Office and HPD for comment but was unable to schedule an interview or obtain a statement at the time of publication; further details are expected as the marathon approaches.