It’s a long-time first day of fair tradition. Every year, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office tests the fair games for their integrity, making sure every player has a fair chance of winning them. It was undersheriff Bill Cooley’s first time assessing them.

“Well, as you can see, I don't have any large teddy bears on me right now, but we're, we're sure to win one or two on the way through,” Cooley said.

No prizes means no issues with the games. While you’re at the fair you may be focused on grabbing your favorite food or hopping on your favorite ride, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office is one of the law enforcement agencies that keep you safe as you do so.

“Any time you have a large attendance rate, it's just important that we provide for a safe and secure environment,” Cooley said. So, you know, we anticipate some good weather in the next coming days and we just want a good safe venue for the people.”

It’s a full-circle story as Cooley grew up in West Seneca and never missed the Erie County Fair as a kid. Now he’s one of the people making it more secure for other fair-goers.

“Yeah, it's interesting. It's always been an event that's been near and dear to my heart,” Cooley said. “And, you know, I remember coming here as a kid with my father and grandfather and my siblings and all my buddies. So we've always enjoyed ourselves here.”

The Erie County Sheriff’s are at the event center from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and fairgoers can learn more about what they do to keep Erie County safe. And if there are any safety issues, fairgoers can find the Fair Security Force, Hamburg Town Police and NYS Police, as well as the Erie County Sheriffs in the Security Building located on top of the Avenue of Flags.