Minneapolis Police Already Training For Super Bowl 2018
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With the Super Bowl just over a week away, security efforts are being ramped up across the Bay Area, but Minneapolis police are already training for the 2018 Super Bowl in the Twin Cities.
Since it's a big, high profile event, local and federal authorities are on high alert. Minneapolis police are already preparing their game plan for when the big game comes here.
"We've actually been planning for the last year," Commander Scott Gerlicher said.
A trip to Glendale, Arizona, site of Super Bowl XLIX, was the first step in making sure Minneapolis is prepared to safely host Super Bowl LII in 2018.
"It's very complex," Gerlicher said. "It's not just the Super Bowl that's a gam,e but the entire week has a whole host of activities that security protection needs to be provided for."
Gerlicher is in charge of Super Bowl security preps for MPD. He'll make the trip to California to scope out what law enforcement there is doing to ensure a safe environment for all in attendance.
MPD is no stranger to securing large events. Last year's All-Star game will be a good point of reference for law enforcement in 2018.
"A lot of the things we learned with the All-Star game we can apply to the Super Bowl, just on a much larger scale," Gerlicher said.
Gerlicher says MPD is counting on help from other local agencies as well as county, state and federal officials lending a hand.
"We're going to have officers out on foot, on bike, potentially on ATV, potentially on snowmobiles," Gerlicher said.
It will be more than just officers, but specialists in transportation, traffic control, public works and MnDOT will all pitch in to keep the area secure.
Gerlicher says anyone coming within several miles of US Bank Stadium will have to pass through security, and the city's intricate system of cameras also will be used.
"We'll have other command centers in the area outside of downtown," Gerlicher said.
Gerlicher says securing the big game in 2018 involves a lot of moving parts, and the biggest challenge is making sure there are enough officers to protect all the different things planned for the 10-day event.
