When “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opened in December 2015, thousands of fans descended on Penn Cinema in Manheim Township, just outside Lititz. Waiting for them were officers from the Manheim Township Police Department, there to manage the crowds, enforce parking rules and keep everyone safe.
Their presence proved valuable in an unexpected way.
A quick response
During the 7 p.m. showing on opening night, a woman emerged from Theater 13 calling for help: her husband was having a medical emergency.
Officer Aaron McCoy ran through the lobby with a medical kit and reached the man moments after two other officers. A 911 call brought emergency medical crews quickly. The man, who had reportedly become unresponsive during the 3-D showing, may have had a seizure. He later recovered enough to speak with responders.
Sgt. Michael Piacentino, Sgt. Jeff Jones and Officer McCoy were among the officers on duty that night.
Security measures
Penn Cinema took security seriously for the long-awaited film, the first new “Star Wars” movie in a decade and a sequel to the original trilogy starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher.
“Penn Ketchum was very security conscious for his customers,” Sgt. Jones said, referring to the theater’s owner, as he watched from behind the ticket taker.
Every bag was inspected at the door, and ticketed patrons received wristbands for easy identification. The theater had posted guidelines on its Facebook page in advance: masks could not be worn beyond the lobby, and no weapons, toy or real, would be allowed.
Costumed fans complied, with Wookiees, droids and Dark Side characters leaving their masks and toy blasters behind. However, at least one moviegoer later wrote on social media that he had carried a concealed handgun into the theater, saying he had seen no posted signs about the policy. Officers did not use metal detectors or wands, and bag checks alone cannot detect firearms carried on a person, a limitation that security experts often note.
A packed lot
Moviegoers had been urged to carpool because attendance was expected to reach the thousands. By 7:30 p.m., the parking lot was overflowing, with vehicles lining the entrance roads and officers directing traffic.
Thanks from the crowd
Patrons said they were reassured by the police presence.
“Everyone’s been very cordial, thanking us for our presence,” Jones said. “It was an event for these people, it was more than a movie.”
Why theaters added security
Theaters across the country increased security for big openings after the 2012 mass shooting at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colorado, and another deadly theater attack in Lafayette, Louisiana, in July 2015. Many chains adopted bag checks, banned costumes with masks and prohibited toy weapons that could be mistaken for real ones.
“The Force Awakens,” directed by J.J. Abrams, went on to set the record for the largest opening weekend in North America at the time, earning about $248 million in the U.S. and Canada, and became the highest-grossing film ever in the domestic market.
Penn Cinema
Penn Cinema, a locally owned theater in Manheim Township near Lititz, is known for its large-format screen and its role as a gathering place for big premieres. Its owner, Penn Ketchum, has made the theater a hub for major film releases and community events in northern Lancaster County, and local families often make opening nights a tradition.
For the officers on duty that night, the opening showed how quickly a festive evening can call for emergency skills, and how planning ahead can make a difference.
This article was originally published in December 2015.