Super Bowl Security Duty Out Of Reach For Some Communities
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It is a big job making sure the more than one million people expected to attend Super Bowl 52 are safe while enjoying the festivities.
William Hutton with the Minnesota Sheriff's Association says this is an opportunity of a lifetime for law enforcement.
"They ask … all the metro police departments, and as many other law enforcement agencies, sheriff's offices and police departments across the state, 'How can you help us will you help us?'" Hutton said.
But if they work in smaller communities, they will have to miss it.
"If you have 10 deputies within your organization … or folks want to go, how many can you expend without making sure that you are protecting the citizens of your county?" Hutton said. "It's not only removing the individual from your county for a period of time, but it's also … the training mechanism that needs to occur."
That Super Bowl security training is not paid or reimbursed, and the cost for jurisdictions to insure those officers would be too big a burden on taxpayers.
"Law enforcement goal is to always make sure that the public is safe," Hutton said.
Minneapolis Police say the city will see the largest number of federal agents in the Super Bowl's 52-year history. But police say they cannot protect U.S. Bank Stadium and all others where activities are happening by themselves.
"We can't be everywhere all the time, regardless of how many people are going to be there … helping out the super bowl," Hutton said.
That is why law enforcement will count on the eyes and ears of Minnesotans to help them keep the Bold North safe.
"Our expectations is for folks … if you see something, say something," Hutton said. "Let us know what's going on."
The mayor of Minneapolis has asked Gov. Mark Dayton for help with security by activating the Minnesota National Guard.
This is unusual for cities to ask citizen soldiers to help. The Super Bowl Committee will pick up the cost for the guard's deployment.