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Extra Police Planned for Final Four Revelry if the Louisville Cardinals Win

Louisville authorities plan to have 200 officers ready to mobilize should theLouisville Cardinals win in the Final Four on Saturdayand the national championship on Monday.The plan focuses on the University of Louisville campus, Bardstown Road /Baxter Avenue corridor, Fourth Street Live and western portions of Broadway.Officers will be stationed at each area but may be dispatched elsewhere as circumstances demand, said Maj. Kelly Jones, commander of the Louisville Metro Police Special Operations Division."The plan is flexible and it allows us to deploy resources anywhere in the community that they may be needed the most," Jones said.Parking restrictionswill also be in place in some partsof the city.The plan was developed with advice from Lexington and University of Kentucky Police, which experienced property damage and other issues after the Kentucky Wildcats won the 2012 national championship.The plan was developed with advice from the Lexington and University of Kentucky police departments, which dealt with property damage—including burned couches and damage to cars—after the the Kentucky Wildcats won the men's basketball national championship. "Well, Card Nation, I think, is much different than Cat Nation and I really don't expect that to happen here," said James, who is also a Louisville Metro Council members.Traffic may also be blocked off at the Cardinal Towne development on Cardinal Boulevard between Third and Fourth streets, where students congregated after the Cardinals won their 2012 Elite Eight game, authorities said.UofL will also cancel all classes that begin at or after 4:15 p.m. Monday if the Cardinals win Saturday, according to an e-mail sent to UofL faculty, staff and students. The decision is meant to "protect our students," the e-mail said. Students who are going to the men's or women's Final Four are also being given excused absences.LMPD, UofL Police, Metro Corrections, Louisville Fire & Rescue and other agencies are participating in the weekend plans.The focus of enforcement is on ensuring safety, Jones said.The plan for Saturday and Monday policing will require some overtime, but Jones said he doesn't expect the cost to be much.

Joseph Lord is the online managing editor for WFPL.