To ensure safety on campus during the gubernatorial debate, which is scheduled concurrently with Sacramento State’s Saturday Homecoming Game, the University Police Department will shut down Capistrano Hall for the day and increase the number of officers on duty.

On a regular Homecoming game night, there are approximately 10 officers assigned to patrol the event. Sgt. Kelly Clark of the campus police said the actual number of officers on duty this Saturday cannot be released for security reasons. But, by comparison, Clark said there will be a substantial amount of police on campus, both in uniform and in plainclothes.

California Highway Patrol officers will provide dignitary protection, and campus police and the Sacramento Police Department will assist by patrolling the event.

To prepare for media personnel, such as radio and television crews, covering the debate, campus police decided to close Capistrano Hall, the campus’ music building, and its surrounding roadway, Clark said.

People who are not attending the invite-only event will not be allowed inside the building.

“It sucks because we do everything out of this building on Saturdays,” said Tracy Maddox, a senior and saxophone player in the marching band. “We’re totally being shoved out of the building that we’re in every weekend.”

Since there will be no access to the building Saturday, all the band members have to move all of their instruments and equipment out of the building and into trucks to lock them up Friday night, Maddox said.

Also, since it’s Homecoming night, returning alumni band members will not be able to go into Capistrano Hall to rehash old memories and see the newly redone band room, Maddox said.

“It’s going to inconvenience us, but we’ll get over it,” she said.

While the Homecoming game and the gubernatorial debate being on the same night certainly add complications, the campus police force is prepared, Clark said.

Compared to the NCAA championships and the U.S. Olympic trials that were both hosted by Sac State in the past, the gubernatorial debate is nothing that the campus police force is worried about, Clark said.

“It takes quite a bit of planning to pull off something like this, but it’s not the biggest thing we’ve handled,” Clark said.

The university originally did not want to have the debate on the same night as Homecoming, but it was the only day both candidates agreed on, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch said.

“We had committed to do everything we could to once again host the gubernatorial debate,” Whitlatch said. “We believe it is an important thing for Sac State, as the only comprehensive four-year university in the capital city, to take on.”

Mary Chou can be reached at [email protected]