NFL Tightens Security at Super Bowl 59 After New Orleans Attack
The NFL’s security chief, Lanier, said she had no numerical information on the increase in police presence at Superdome, but stated that after an attack-the culprit drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens-the league asked for and was granted increased support by law enforcement agencies.
“People are naturally asking if our security plans have changed since the January 1 attack, and the answer is absolutely yes,” Lanier stated during a conference call. However, I do want to drive home the message that our security measures are ever-changing and get reviewed, updated, and fine-tuned through the latest available intelligence and other security concerns,” he said
The Super Bowl is classified as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, which necessitates close coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
While Lanier refrained from revealing the exact number of officers deployed for the Super Bowl and related events, she assured that there would be “thousands” on duty.
The most obvious difference since the January 1 incident will be a dramatically increased visible law enforcement presence and strengthened security perimeters,” Lanier said.
The Super Bowl 59 celebration is to begin in New Orleans next week, culminating in the highly anticipated game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on February 9.
The game will be held for the first time in the Super Bowl’s history at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans since 2013. Less than six weeks have passed since the January 1 tragedy. In it, a 42-year-old man from Texas who was an Army veteran, drove a truck into a crowded French Quarter section. Jabbar was shot dead by the police after the attack, and an ISIS flag was found in his car, and the incident was investigated as a terrorist act.
After the attack, Lanier immediately traveled to New Orleans to cooperate with state and local law enforcement officials to refine and improve security strategies. She stated that the NFL enhances its security plans constantly through their incidents occurring in the U.S. and elsewhere around the globe.
“Through this point, there are no specific or credible threats targeting the Super Bowl,” Lanier continued to reassure. “We remain confident in our security preparations.”
