Protection Package: 4,000 Security Officers To Work Super Bowl XLVIII
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Police officials say security for the Super Bowl will include about 4,000 government and private officers assigned to MetLife Stadium on game day.
As CBS 2's Tony Aiello reported, top law enforcement agencies were expressing confidence, and said they have the experience to back it up.
The officials outlined the measures at a briefing Wednesday at the Meadowlands.
From the parking lot of the venue, One World Trade Center is discernible in the distance – reminding the team responsible for Super Bowl security.
"In the shadow of the World Trade Center, how important this event is to keep people safe in our region," said NJ TRANSIT Police Chief Christopher Trucillo.
The estimated 85,000 fans arriving at the game by mass transit on Feb. 2 will encounter a security perimeter extending 300 feet from entrances to the stadium. They'll be funneled into temporary pavilions for airport-style screening.
4,000 Security Officers To Work Super Bowl
Behind the scenes, FBI and other agencies will closely monitor potential terror threats.
"Every countermeasure that we have is going to be put in place," said New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. Edward Cetnar, who is the Super Bowl incident commander.
"We're approaching it basically from a land, air and sea concept because, as you know, there are waterways in and around the stadium," Cetnar told reporters, including WCBS 880's Peter Haskell.
PHOTOS: Super Bowl XLVIII Preps
Security cameras and radiation detectors will be pressed into service.
"Our tactical teams have been training throughout the year for different scenarios to include active shooter, bomb threats, and hazards related to chemical biological radiological or nuclear threats," said FBI Special Agent Aaron Ford.
Snow plows will also be on standby in case of severe weather.
The officials said they studied past Super Bowls to prime themselves for possible problems, such as the power outage last year in New Orleans.
And in the days leading up to the game, MetLife Stadium will be virtually locked down and inaccessible. That means the greater Super Bowl security challenge is actually at the Crossroads of the World in Times Square, as Broadway will host "Super Bowl Boulevard" between 34th and 47th streets.
On every block, there will be fan-oriented venues.
"I can't even begin to think the amount of people it's going to attract, and unfortunately, inconvenience," said retired NYPD Officer John Chapman.
"There will be a robust counterterrorism overlay out on the street with canine dogs and our cameras," said NYPD Chief James Waters.
But the NYPD predicted business as usual, with crowds much smaller than the typical New Year's Eve.
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