SAN FRANCISCO — When the Denver Broncos meet the Carolina Panthers for Super Bowl 50, fans can be certain that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will be working to secure Levi’s Stadium and the surrounding areas.
“Security at the Super Bowl is an undertaking that requires extensive planning and coordination, and CBP is proud to team up with our local, state and federal partners to help secure Super Bowl 50 for the thousands of fans who will be at Sunday’s game,” said Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “CBP’s mission every day is to protect the public; it’s a force multiplier when we can take the unique skills of our officers and agents and apply them to national security events.”
CBP personnel have already reported to Santa Clara and San Francisco in advance of Sunday’s game to provide their expertise—translating experience from securing the border into experience providing security for one of the nation’s most-watched events.
CBP officers from the San Francisco Field Office will use non-intrusive inspection equipment to scan the cargo entering Levi’s Stadium, the NFL Experience and Super Bowl City venues in downtown San Francisco for contraband such as hazardous materials, explosives, weapons and anything harmful, unusual or suspicious.
Air and Marine Operations (AMO) personnel will monitor the nation’s airspace and enforce the FAA’s Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone during Super Bowl 50. During the game, the Air and Marine Operations Center will detect, track, and coordinate the interdiction of aircraft violating the TFR zone. AMO agents from San Diego Air and Marine Branch and Tucson Air Branch will be in Citations, UH-60 Black Hawks and AS350 A-Stars on site in Santa Clara, working with the Western Air Defense Sector within the Department of Defense. While the TFR is in effect, AMO will coordinate with partners to concentrate on the “low and slow” targets, intercepting any aircraft that violates the airspace and escorting them out of the area or conducting additional response actions if necessary.
While enforcing the TFR, AMO personnel will also assist the state, local and federal authorities with a real-time aerial video downlink that will be fed into numerous command centers coordinating Super Bowl security operations. This live downlink feed will give law enforcement on the ground the ability to make informed decisions of any situation that may arise in the sky or on the ground.
In addition, CBP officers and import specialists are working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations agents to examine, seize and investigate Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations, protecting consumers from counterfeiters looking to profit from phony NFL gear.
When requested, DHS and CBP provides its specialized expertise to high-profile events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
