Security Plans for Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V, taking place at Levi’s Stadium, will see a notable increase in law enforcement presence across various domains—land, air, and sea. While security measures are extensive in the San Francisco Bay Area, Super Bowl representatives have clarified that there will not be any immigration officers at the game.
“We have multiple command centers that we operate in conjunction with local partners,” stated Jeff Brannigan, Federal Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), during an announcement. “They’re spread out over a wide area, and they have a lot of people. Some of them are in uniform, and they’re obviously government officials of some kind.”
Being classified as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) 1 event, the Super Bowl is deemed significant on both national and international levels, necessitating substantial interagency security collaboration.
This year’s initiative will involve “hundreds of federal special agents” from various government agencies, according to Deputy Chief of Operations Brian M. Clark.
Even though many tactical details are not disclosed, the security framework includes contributions from the FBI, ATF, U.S. Coast Guard, CISA, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Additionally, the DEA’s Pacific and Southwest Regions will provide support to state and local law enforcement to ensure public safety.
CBP acts as a “front line” agency, focusing on security and trade during the Super Bowl. They utilize X-ray scanners to inspect vehicles for explosives and deploy helicopters for airspace surveillance, also aiming to seize fake NFL merchandise. Importantly, their role is security-related rather than immigration enforcement.
“There’s a lot of human trafficking going on at the Super Bowl event,” one official remarked. “We often see drug trafficking in this area for parties, so we want to remind everyone to be cautious. It’s crucial to talk about the dangers of fentanyl—just one pill can be deadly.”
The Coast Guard will deploy specially trained explosive detection dogs around Levi’s Stadium and other venues to monitor for unauthorized drones as part of the security measure.
“This is what we do every day, just a stronger, enhanced response,” said Jarrod Totzko, commander of the San Francisco Coast Guard Station on Yerba Buena Island. He emphasized that additional safety measures would be in place due to the event.
Despite worries regarding potential ICE activity in the area, NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier confirmed that the league would not engage in the security operations for the Super Bowl. The DHS also reiterated that no immigration enforcement actions are slated, with the focus remaining strictly on public safety.
“We are confident of that,” Lanier expressed at a public safety briefing. “The Department of Homeland Security has been our partner for over 20 years and involves over 20 different departments. This does not include ICE. We haven’t had ICE at the Super Bowl, and I don’t believe we have in past years either.”
