The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will continue its two-decade long tradition of supporting the security operations for Super Bowl LIX, officials said Monday.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said her department had sent 690 employees representing 12 DHS agencies to New Orleans to provide air security resources; venue, cyber and infrastructure security assessments; chemical, biological, nuclear and explosives detection technologies; intelligence analysis and threat assessments; intellectual property enforcement; and real-time situational awareness reporting. Super Bowl officials anticipate more than 73,000 fans will attend the game.
“Around 100,000 people will be celebrating the Super Bowl in and around the Superdome in New Orleans this weekend,” Noem said. “We will give law enforcement every resource they need to ensure a safe event.”
Although no specific, credible threats to the event have been identified, officials said the event has been assessed as a Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1 event.
“Since day one, we have stood steadfast in our mission: to protect what matters most,” Eric DeLaune, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Special Agent in Charge and lead federal coordinator for Super Bowl LIX, said. “From securing critical infrastructure to providing real-time threat analysis, we are committed to safeguarding our communities. With over 690 DHS personnel deployed, we bring cutting-edge security resources and technologies to ensure every aspect of this event is protected.”
Security efforts will include temporary flight restrictions around the Caesars Superdome, Bourbon Street and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; interior stadium tactical support; cybersecurity vulnerability assessments and bomb safety workshops; threat landscape assessment; and Mobile Detection Deployment from the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, among other support services.