UTPD Deploys The RATT for Elevated Monitoring at Lady Vols Game

Enhancing Crowd Safety at High-Profile Events

On February 13, 2025, the University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD) deployed The RATT (Rapid All-Terrain Tower) at the Lady Vols basketball game against Auburn at the Food City Center (Thompson-Boling Arena) in Knoxville. With over 10,000 fans expected, UTPD added this mobile monitoring unit to extend visibility and strengthen its existing safety measures.

Large-scale events like this require law enforcement to balance security with the fan experience. By integrating The RATT into their operations, UTPD was able to gain additional real-time visibility in key outdoor spaces while maintaining fluid coordination with officers already stationed inside and around the arena.

Meeting the Challenge of Large Game Day Crowds

Lady Vols basketball games consistently draw large crowds. According to UT Sports, the team averaged 10,556 fans per home game during the 2024–25 season. These numbers place them among the nation’s top teams in terms of attendance, increasing the need for enhanced monitoring on game days.

While in-arena systems provide some coverage, outdoor areas—like entrances, walkways, and nearby streets—require additional visibility to support crowd management and response efforts. Parking areas, drop-off zones, and pre-game gathering spots also pose unique challenges for law enforcement due to limited fixed infrastructure and constant movement.

Chief Sean Patterson of UTPD explained, “Our primary challenge was extending our monitoring capabilities beyond the confines of the arena to ensure the safety of our fans throughout their entire experience.”

How The RATT Supported UTPD’s Operations

To meet this challenge, UTPD partnered with Critical Tech Solutions to deploy The RATT RQ621 Single-Sensor Mobile Surveillance Tower, a quick-deploy system designed to provide an elevated view of surrounding areas. Its mobility and fast setup made it an ideal fit for a fast-paced event environment.

Key Features of The RATT:

• High-definition cameras for clear, detailed visuals
• Real-time streaming for immediate access and coordination
• Flexible positioning to adapt to event layouts and crowd flow

Chief Patterson said, “The RATT’s flexibility and advanced features allowed us to enhance our monitoring capabilities without disrupting our existing operations.”

The unit’s ability to tie into UTPD’s existing systems meant that no new procedures or lengthy integration processes were required. Officers could monitor the feed from existing command setups, allowing for seamless inclusion into their event-day protocols.

Strategic Game Day Placement

UTPD stationed The RATT at the corner of Neyland Drive to monitor pedestrian and vehicle traffic throughout the event. This placement offered extended visibility of high-traffic areas—before, during, and after the game—without needing to reposition the unit.

This corner serves as one of the primary access points to the arena, with continuous flow from parking garages, drop-off areas, and student foot traffic. By positioning The RATT here, UTPD was able to maintain an aerial view of all those touchpoints throughout the game.

Officers used the live feed to:

• Track crowd movement and congestion points
• Monitor traffic flow into and out of the venue
• Support faster response to any developing situations

In addition to providing live monitoring, the footage captured during the event served as a valuable resource for post-event review. This allowed UTPD to analyze crowd flow patterns, evaluate team coordination, and identify areas for improvement in future deployments.

Real-World Results from the Deployment

The RATT provided several benefits that strengthened game-day operations:

• Expanded situational awareness beyond traditional fixed locations
• Faster response times to potential incidents
• Improved coordination among officers monitoring different zones
• Reduced blind spots outside the arena perimeter
• Minimal staffing impact, thanks to the remote-viewing capability

Officers monitoring the event reported increased confidence in their ability to maintain awareness in busy external areas. This not only improved the ability to respond to issues quickly, but also helped reduce the burden on officers stationed in those zones.

A Model for Future Event Operations

UTPD’s successful deployment of The RATT highlights how mobile monitoring units can improve visibility and adaptability during large-scale events. As agencies continue to face complex crowd safety challenges, tools like The RATT offer a practical solution for extending coverage and improving real-time coordination.

By incorporating flexible, mobile technology into standard event protocols, departments can elevate their operational readiness and provide a safer experience for attendees, staff, and volunteers.

Bonus: The Lady Vols defeated Auburn 99–61, giving fans even more to celebrate on a safe and well-managed game night.