Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Monday 29 January 2018

Super Bowl brings massive security resources to Minneapolis

comes up. gest is the weather. He said
"Our efforts are to make security staff may need to
sure that it's a warm and be doubled or tripled to
inviting atmosphere. But keep people from being
make no mistake about it exposed to dangerous ele-
— there are tons of watch- ments for a prolonged time.
ful eyes from the law en- "That's a challenge, and it's
forcement and public safe- a costly one you don't have
ty sectors," said Alex Khu, if playing in San Diego," he
special agent in charge of said.
Homeland Security Inves- Miller said setting up a pe-
tigations in Minnesota and rimeter around a down-
the federal coordinator for town venue is more difficult
this year's Super Bowl. than setting one up around
Because of the dense area a stadium surrounded by
around the stadium, some parking lots. Architects, en-
security screening will be gineers and other experts
happening off-site. They are part of the planning.
also had to figure out how For fans, he said, there
to secure Super Bowl Live, are advantages to being
a largely free-flowing, 10- downtown and close to the
day outdoor event that's action.
In this Jan. 17, 2018 photo, Minneapolis Police Commander Scott Gerlicher, left, and Homeland open to the public. Mean- “The NFL is really good
Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Alex Khu pose for a photo in Fridley, Minn. Gerli- while, some events are be- at trying to balance se-
cher is heading up security for the Super Bowl, and Khu is the federal coordinator for the event, ing held in nearby St. Paul curity needs with the fan
bringing in federal resources Gerlicher said this Super Bowl will have the largest deployment of and at the Mall of America engagement part of the
federal resources yet. in Bloomington, while team equation,” he said. “Obvi-
(AP Photo/Amy Forliti)
hotels, practice facilities — ously, the best case scenar-
By AMY FORLITI roughly two years think- the Minnesota National and transportation to and io is that we hope that we
Associated Press ing about every possible Guard has been activated. from — also must be se- do all of this ... and no one
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Con- scenario say they are pre- An additional 10,000 volun- cured. never even realizes all the
crete barriers and chain- pared. teers are being trained to Jeffrey Miller, former senior legwork that went into it on
link fencing are going up "We're ready for anything spot suspicious activity. vice president and chief the front end,” Rivers said.
around the site of the Super that may come our way," Visitors can expect to see security officer for the NFL, “They just show up, have a
Bowl in downtown Minne- Minneapolis Police Com- increased police patrols, said each host city faces good time, and leave and
apolis, where a contingent mander Scott Gerlicher bomb-sniffing dogs, heli- different challenges. In Min- go home.” q
of local, state and national said. "It's about not just feel- copters, officers in tacti- neapolis, perhaps the big-
agencies is working to en- ing safe, but making sure cal gear, and that chain-
sure that the game and people are in fact safe." link and concrete fence
dozens of related events Gerlicher, whose depart- around U.S. Bank Stadium.
are safe. ment is overseeing secu- Plenty of technology
The downtown location of rity, said this Super Bowl will such as motion detectors,
the Feb. 4 title game has have the largest deploy- closed-circuit cameras
presented challenges for ment of federal resources and air particle sensors will
authorities, who have had yet. That's because Minne- be operating behind the
to get creative as they apolis has a relatively small scenes. Giant machines
carved a secure perime- department — less than are being used to scan
ter around businesses and 900 officers compared with shipments to the stadium.
a major hospital near U.S. the roughly 5,000 in Hous- Extra security cameras will
Bank Stadium. But it's not ton, where last year's game be sprinkled around the
the first time the Super Bowl was held — and needed city, and NFL-sanctioned
has dealt with the chal- more personnel. events will have metal de-
lenges of a city center, and Dozens of other cities are tectors. Teams will be in
authorities who have spent sending officers too, and place to react to whatever