Small Army In Place To Protect Super Bowl Festivities
ATLANTA (CBSLA) — Anyone looking to threaten the Super Bowl this weekend in Atlanta will have a small army to contend with.
A small army of security is in place to protect the 1 million visitors who have descended on Atlanta this week for the Super Bowl, and the events leading up to it.
Seven miles of fencing has been erected around the stadium, and bomb-sniffing dogs are being deployed randomly. A 30-mile no-fly zone is in place around the stadium, and every arriving truck gets an X-Ray inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
Inside the perimeter, there's a significant police presence, with heavily-armed officers walking areas like the Georgia World Congress Center, where the Super Bowl Experience fan expo is taking place.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says there is no known threat against the Super Bowl, but it's high-profile status makes it a potential target.
Thanks to the 25 @DHSgov entities, including nearly 600 homeland employees, & the more than 500 personnel from federal partners for your dedicated work to further enhance the security of #SBLIII in support of local officials. DHS works hard so football fans can have fun.
— Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) January 30, 2019
"It's a huge part of our culture and a lot of Americans and others will be tuning in on Sunday," she told CBS News. "As a result, we all work very closely together to make sure it's a safe and secure day."