Safety is a top priority for Springfield Police during the Birthplace of Route 66 Fest

In just a few days people from all over the country will be in downtown Springfield.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend this year's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.

"These are the events that we like to work," said Lieutenant Jennifer Charleston.

Law enforcement is ironing out the final details of their plan to keep everyone safe. It's an effort they plan for all year round.

"We start planning it as soon as the event ends. We will go through and see what we need to change for next year," said Charleston.

This year's event will be the biggest yet. Nearly 70,000 people are expected to attend.

Charleston said, "We haven't that many problems in the past which is great. The people who are coming to this event usually are specifically for that celebration."

She said local law enforcement is prepared.

"There's a lot of things that we have established. We just add to it or pull from it when we need to," explained Charleston.

People will see more officers patrolling the downtown area than in previous years.

"They can attend that event safely knowing that we're there to protect them and keep their safety in mind as a top priority," she said.

A command center will serve as the hub for all emergency crews, including fire and emergency management.

"We make sure that we know that we have a good communication center set up so if something does occur then we will be able to get a hold of everyone that is pertinent to that specific incident," explained Charleston.

As the festival continues to grow each coming year, so will law enforcement's commitment towards your safety.

"We have had success with this program. That's how we look at it. As more people are coming we feel a responsibility to keep that tradition going," she said.

The festivities kick off at noon on Friday.