Jan. 30 (UPI) — Fans in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX will likely notice heavier security presence as the NFL stepped up efforts for increased visibility in the city after the Jan. 1 attack, chief security officer Cathy Lanier said.
Super Bowl LIX will be held Feb. 9 in New Orleans, but hundreds of thousands of other people are expected to descend on the city throughout next week to participate in other events. Like in past years, Super Bowl LIX was classified as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level I event by the Department of Homeland Security.
“We are really confident in our security plan going into the Super Bowl in New Orleans,” Lanier said. “We are working now, coming up on two years, with federal, state and local partners on this plan. We feel very confident that this team is ready.”
Lanier did not specify an exact number of law enforcement officers who will be involved in the effort, but said there will be thousands. The game will be held about a month after Shamsud-Din-Jabbar drove a truck into a crowd in the city’s French Quarter, resulting in 15 deaths.
Several investigations into how the attacker managed to drive the truck through the area are still underway.
“It’s natural to ask if we’ve changed things since the attacks on Jan. 1, and of course the short answer is yes,” Lanier said. “But I want to remind people, to be clear, that our planning and security is continually reviewed. We review, enhance, and modify our security plans based on the latest information that we have.”
Lanier said she is confident that guests will feel “comfortable and safe” during their experiences in New Orleans.
New Orleans Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order Wednesday to amend the State of Emergency issued on New Year’s Day in response to the attack. The measure will allow for an enhanced security zone in the french quarter. Police also increased security measures with more barriers and wedges throughout the French Quarter and Bourbon Street.
The security zones feature checkpoints, allowing officers to request bag searches. Coolers, ice chests and large bags are banned in the areas. Cars are not allowed to enter the zones, unless they are used for emergency purposes.
“I think the biggest thing that you’ll see that’s different following the attacks after Jan. 1, is just a lot more visible law enforcement presence and hardened security perimeters,” Lanier said. “We have a very large perimeter around the stadium, so I think that’s going to be the most visible thing that you’ll see.
“We are still prepared to make new modifications should something change between now and the Super Bowl. That’s kind of our job is to be flexible and make changes, as needed.”
Lanier flew to New Orleans the day of the attack to work with local agencies and gather information that she could use to change or improve the NFL’s Super Bowl security plan.
“It was very beneficial for me,” she said.
The NFL has not received information on any specific, credible threats to the Super Bowl since Jan. 1.
