Key Team Already In Place At Site Of Super Bowl XLV
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - We now know the two teams that are coming to Arlington for Super Bowl 45. But there's one team that's been here planning for more than two years: The team of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
"It's a big deal," said Arlington Deputy Police Chief Lauretta Hill.
That goes for the 100,000 fans in and around the stadium and the hundreds of millions of people worldwide watching the game on television. But also, it's a big deal for those securing the Super Bowl, she said.
"It has a national security rating just under a presidential inauguration," Hill said.
Among those on defense: The FBI's tactical, swat, and bomb squads.
The agency has driven a special mobile command post into Arlington and will bring in hundreds of extra agents.
"Any intelligence collected by the federal law enforcement or U.S. intelligence agencies worldwide that would have an impact... on this game is collected, analyzed, and provided," said Robert Casey, the FBI's Special Agent in Charge.
The NFL has already taken already taken over all operations at Cowboys Stadium - including security - inside and out. The security fencing is just one example.
One part of this Super Bowl that's different from previous games is how spread out all of the events are. While the game is in Arlington, the NFL Experience is in Dallas and the team hotels are in Fort Worth and Irving.
Because of that, Hill said various law enforcement agencies worked closely to coordinate their strategy.
"It's extremely important because we don't want to do anything in our plan that's not fully vetted and conflicts with something going on in Dallas or going on in Irving," Hill said.
Besides in and around the stadium, authorities will keep a close eye on the airspace above. As a result, the FAA imposed flight restrictions on all airports within ten miles of the stadium, including Arlington Municipal Airport.
The flight restrictions take effect from 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday for all general aviation flights at Arlington, Grand Prairie and DFW International Airports.
"It will basically shut down all operations at the airport as far as landings and take-offs," said Bob Porter, manager of the Arlington Municipal Airport.
And so while Steelers and Packers fans are likely to bring the noise to DFW, law enforcement agencies hope their coordination will help keep the area safe and quiet during the festivities.
