The game plan for security at this year's Super Bowl will include deployment of nearly 4,000 local police and private security officers, airport-style screening for those entering MetLife Stadium and a host of other measures visible and invisible to the average fan
At a briefing at the stadium, officials said that the plan has been in the works for more than two years and relies in part on lessons learned at past Super Bowls, including the power outage at the 2013 game in New Orleans.
"That's one of the things we took a hard look at," said Col. Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
This year, officials are working closely with utility companies to ensure there's ample backup power. Sanitation agencies also are in the mix, with the plan calling for 900 snow plows to be on standby if needed to keep the roads open on game day, Feb. 2, said AP.
Up to 700 state troopers will be on patrol in and around the stadium on Super Bowl Sunday, with 3,000 private security officers provided by the NFL.
FBI analysts manning a command center with surveillance camera feeds and computer data will work around the clock on the week of the game to monitor potential terror threats, said AP.
In New York City, there will be beefed-up security at several pre-Super Bowl parties and other events, AP said. The New York Police Department will deploy extra patrols, bomb-sniffing dogs and helicopters to secure "Super Bowl Boulevard," a three-day NFL event in Manhattan.
In addition, fans will have to present their tickets to the game before they can board buses or trains headed to the facility. Once at the stadium, fans will be directed into temporary outdoor pavilions at the edge of a security perimeter 300 feet from the entrances, reported AP.