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Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Super Bowl's heightened security is readily evident in New Orleans ahead of big game
NEW ORLEANS – Bourbon Street looks, sounds and feels no different than normal – people holding daiquiris and hurricanes between sips, music blaring out of every establishment, beads careening from balconies. The National Guard and Army personnel every dozens of steps or so, along with the rifles they're holding, are a jumpcut back to reality – and a sobering reminder of the New Year's Day attack that left 14 people dead and wounded many more. NFL chief of security Cathy Lanier said during a news conference Monday her team's job is to examine those events and make sure that the group is not only anticipatory but looking forward. 'We don't want to focus only on the last incident,' she said. 'We want to focus on being prepared.' Security plans are fluid and capable of being changed on game day depending on the situation, Lanier added. The arrival of President Donald Trump on Sunday, making him the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, will only induce a heightened security environment around Caesars Superdome. To begin with, the Super Bowl is categorized as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, which requires close coordination between state, local and federal law enforcement. Lanier had declined to reveal the number of police officers assisting in keeping the city safe this week, but that it would be in 'the thousands.' Lanier told the Washington Post recently she made 'probably 10' visits to New Orleans to coordinate security. Even before Super Bowl week began, the NFL and authorities promised a 'visible law enforcement' presence throughout the city. That has certainly been the case. Accessing Bourbon Street, the security apparatus is immediately apparent. Anyone walking with a purse or bag has it searched at a checkpoint. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry created the security zone around and including Bourbon Street via an emergency order. All types of barriers prevent vehicles from coming close to accessing the famous road of revelry, which was the site of tragedy in the early hours of Jan. 1. In addition to the 14 killed, dozens were wounded in a truck attack on Bourbon Street that police say was perpetrated by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who was fatally shot by police at the scene. Jabbar rammed his truck onto the street that is pedestrian-only; varying types of barriers for blocks in all directions from Bourbon Street are now in place after bollards were not up prior to the attack. Two improvised explosive devices Jabbar had planted in coolers in the French Quarter did not detonate. The Kansas City Chiefs' hotel is about 0.2 miles from the base of Bourbon Street on Canal Street. The amount of mobile command and law-enforcement satellite vehicles surrounding the Marriott is astounding. Even Frenchmen Street, the live music and jazz epicenter of New Orleans, had an increased police presence and was closed to vehicles. Barriers also prevented access from any intersecting roads. The Philadelphia Eagles' police escort Monday from practice in nearby Metaire, Louisiana, created a traffic standstill at the Warehouse District exit off Interstate-10. That same day, a pair of military jets conducted training maneuvers over downtown a handful of times. A low-flying helicopter hummed over the city for most of the week. Airspace has become an increasingly worrisome battleground for the NFL in recent years. Last week, a man was arrested for flying a drone over M&T Bank Stadium during a Baltimore Ravens' home playoff game that paused the proceedings. Organizers won't have to worry about that since Caesars Superdome is an enclosed venue, but the week operated under the second-highest rating in terms of airspace clearance. Drones throughout the downtown area were prohibited starting Monday. On game day, the restriction space is 30 nautical air miles, Lanier said. On the ground – on Bourbon Street, the French Quarter and the rest of downtown – the good times have rolled all week. But throwing a party in the shadows of rifles and snipers on rooftops became reality for New Orleans, the NFL and Super Bowl 59 after Jan. 1. Contributing: Tom Schad This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Bowl 2025 security is readily evident in New Orleans before game
USA Today
09-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Super Bowl's heightened security is readily evident in New Orleans ahead of big game
Hear this story NEW ORLEANS – Bourbon Street looks, sounds and feels no different than normal – people holding daiquiris and hurricanes between sips, music blaring out of every establishment, beads careening from balconies. The National Guard and Army personnel every dozens of steps or so, along with the rifles they're holding, are a jumpcut back to reality – and a sobering reminder of the New Year's Day attack that left 14 people dead and wounded many more. NFL chief of security Cathy Lanier said during a news conference Monday her team's job is to examine those events and make sure that the group is not only anticipatory but looking forward. 'We don't want to focus only on the last incident,' she said. 'We want to focus on being prepared.' Security plans are fluid and capable of being changed on game day depending on the situation, Lanier added. The arrival of President Donald Trump on Sunday, making him the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, will only induce a heightened security environment around Caesars Superdome. NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. To begin with, the Super Bowl is categorized as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, which requires close coordination between state, local and federal law enforcement. Lanier had declined to reveal the number of police officers assisting in keeping the city safe this week, but that it would be in 'the thousands.' Lanier told the Washington Post recently she made 'probably 10' visits to New Orleans to coordinate security. Even before Super Bowl week began, the NFL and authorities promised a 'visible law enforcement' presence throughout the city. That has certainly been the case. Accessing Bourbon Street, the security apparatus is immediately apparent. Anyone walking with a purse or bag has it searched at a checkpoint. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry created the security zone around and including Bourbon Street via an emergency order. All types of barriers prevent vehicles from coming close to accessing the famous road of revelry, which was the site of tragedy in the early hours of Jan. 1. In addition to the 14 killed, dozens were wounded in a truck attack on Bourbon Street that police say was perpetrated by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who was fatally shot by police at the scene. Jabbar rammed his truck onto the street that is pedestrian-only; varying types of barriers for blocks in all directions from Bourbon Street are now in place after bollards were not up prior to the attack. Two improvised explosive devices Jabbar had planted in coolers in the French Quarter did not detonate. The Kansas City Chiefs' hotel is about 0.2 miles from the base of Bourbon Street on Canal Street. The amount of mobile command and law-enforcement satellite vehicles surrounding the Marriott is astounding. Even Frenchmen Street, the live music and jazz epicenter of New Orleans, had an increased police presence and was closed to vehicles. Barriers also prevented access from any intersecting roads. The Philadelphia Eagles' police escort Monday from practice in nearby Metaire, Louisiana, created a traffic standstill at the Warehouse District exit off Interstate-10. That same day, a pair of military jets conducted training maneuvers over downtown a handful of times. A low-flying helicopter hummed over the city for most of the week. Airspace has become an increasingly worrisome battleground for the NFL in recent years. Last week, a man was arrested for flying a drone over M&T Bank Stadium during a Baltimore Ravens' home playoff game that paused the proceedings. Organizers won't have to worry about that since Caesars Superdome is an enclosed venue, but the week operated under the second-highest rating in terms of airspace clearance. Drones throughout the downtown area were prohibited starting Monday. On game day, the restriction space is 30 nautical air miles, Lanier said. On the ground – on Bourbon Street, the French Quarter and the rest of downtown – the good times have rolled all week. But throwing a party in the shadows of rifles and snipers on rooftops became reality for New Orleans, the NFL and Super Bowl 59 after Jan. 1. Contributing: Tom Schad
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL plans more visible security presence at Super Bowl after Jan. 1 attack
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.
USA Today
29-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Super Bowl 59 will include 'more visible' law enforcement after New Orleans attack, NFL says
Super Bowl 59 will include 'more visible' law enforcement after New Orleans attack, NFL says Show Caption Hide Caption The numbers behind the Super Bowl: How much is made and spent? With Super Bowl 59 approaching, here is a look at where millions, and potentially billions of dollars are made and spent for the big game. The NFL has adjusted its security plans and received additional law enforcement support for Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans following the deadly attack in the city on Jan. 1, chief security officer Cathy Lanier said Wednesday. Lanier, who spearheads the league's security planning and initiatives, declined to specify how many additional officers will be on hand at the Superdome next month, nor compare the law enforcement presence to previous Super Bowls or previous stages of planning. But the former D.C. police chief said the league did request and receive additional support following the Jan. 1 attack, in which a man drove a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, leaving 14 dead and dozens of others wounded. "It's natural to ask if we've changed things since the attack on Jan. 1, and of course the short answer is yes," Lanier told reports on a conference call. "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. We're constantly monitoring what's going on in the environment and the security world to make those adjustments." Lanier noted that the Super Bowl is categorized as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, which requires close coordination between state, local and federal law enforcement. While declining to specify the number of law enforcement officers who will be on hand for the Super Bowl, and related NFL events in New Orleans, Lanier said it will be "thousands." "I think the biggest thing that you'll see that's different following the attack on Jan. 1 is just a lot more visible law enforcement presence, and more hardened security perimeters," Lanier said. Super Bowl 59 festivities will kick off in New Orleans next week. The game itself, which will feature the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, is on Feb. 9. The Super Bowl is coming to New Orleans for the first time since 2013 − and less than six weeks after the deadly attack on Jan. 1, when a Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, drove a truck into a crowded portion of the city's iconic French Quarter. Jabbar, a Texas resident and Army veteran, later died in a shootout with police. Authorities later found an ISIS flag in the truck and investigated the attack as an act of terrorism. Lanier flew to New Orleans shortly after the attack and conferred with state and local law enforcement officials about how to best revise the league's security plans for the Super Bowl. She said those plans are continuously being revised and updated to account for security incidents that take place not just in New Orleans or the United States but around the world. "There have been no specific or credible threats that have come through for the Super Bowl, up to this point," Lanier added. "So we feel pretty good." Contact Tom Schad at tschad@ or on social media @
