Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia police claim to have new substance to stop light pole climbers

Published Jan. 31, 2018 12:48 p.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Philadelphia police think they've found something better than Crisco to keep Philadelphia fans from climbing light poles if the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

But they are keeping their playbook secret.

A contingent of workers who jokingly called themselves the "Crisco Cops" applied shortening to light poles before the NFC championship game, but it failed to stop some fans after the Eagles victory.

Asked Tuesday whether police have found something slicker, Commissioner Richard Ross said, "We think so."

He promised that whatever police do, "it will be safe ... but it will be effective." He says climbing poles this Sunday "will be far more difficult" than when they used a vegetable oil product, which weather can affect.

Ross says police are working to assure the safety of fans "as well as the people who they could fall down on."