Super Bowl XLVIII Security Is No Joke

by Mike Lucas 1-28-14

courtesy: WEBNBoston

The National Football League is taking Super Bowl security more seriously than ever this year.

The New Jersey and New York state police are out in full force this week and are doing everything possible to ensure a safe Super Bowl Sunday.

“We are doing everything we can to make the Super Bowl as enjoyable and safe as we can,” said Secretary Jeh Johnson, Department of Homeland Security. Johnson spoke at a security press conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Times Square earlier today.

NFL Chief Security Officer Jeffrey Miller hosted the press conference and said the commissioner is happy with the security procedures in place. “I can speak on behalf of Commissioner [Roger] Goodell that we are very pleased with the attention to detail of our security staff,” he said.

Super Bowl XLVIII is the first Super Bowl in NFL history that has to worry about security in two separate states. The game is being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but most of the media events are being held in New York City.  FBI-Newark agent Aaron Ford said he is extremely pleased with how well all the different security organizations have worked together throughout this process. “A collaboration of these protection unites is unprecedented.”

The two state police forces will be the security that most fans see throughout the week, but the FBI will be working behind the scenes, according to FBI-New York Director George Venizelos.

On game day, fans will be prohibited from bringing numerous items into the stadium.   Fans will not be allowed to bring any bottles, food, noisemakers and umbrellas into the stadium, according to the official security press release.

The unofficial motto of Super Bowl XLVIII security is “see something, say something”, and a safe Super Bowl will only be possible if the fans participate. There will be signs around the stadium on Sunday telling fans to report any suspicious behavior or objects.