What every agency must have in place for high-risk events
In 2026, agencies across the U.S. will be tasked with securing high-profile, high-stakes events, including Super Bowl 60, the FIFA World Cup and America 250, demanding advanced coordination, threat detection, communications reliability and life-saving response capabilities. When the pressure’s on, will your agency’s systems hold up? Police1’s Securing 2026 coverage will help public safety leaders identify vulnerabilities, tools and strategies to secure their communities.
Before your next major event, learn what one of the nation’s most experienced event-planning teams wishes every agency knew
WORLD CUP 2026
From fan zones and rivalries to cyber threats and crowd movement, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is giving police a real-time view of the challenges of securing a global event
From drone threats to packed transit hubs, law enforcement is managing a continuous, cross-border security challenge unlike anything seen before
Atlanta Police and agencies across the U.S. are adopting European crowd-management tactics, formation riding techniques and horse desensitization training to prepare for massive crowds and complex security challenges
Dallas PD’s World Cup playbook: Plan in pencil, not pen
Lt. Mark Rickerman says FIFA 2026 will test public safety leaders with massive crowds, overlapping command structures, traffic gridlock and plans that must change after kickoff
Download our guide to discover the warning signs that can undermine major event operations before they impact your response
FEATURED CONTENT
Large-scale security planning requires redundancy, repetition and a culture of readiness
From a hoax school shooting to Boston Marathon planning, real-world incidents show how relationships and pre-event coordination determine outcomes
As threats grow more complex, police leaders must treat special event planning as a continuous, intelligence-driven discipline
From camera integration and AI tools to encrypted information-sharing groups and World Cup planning, public and private partners are creating a two-way security ecosystem
A new, unified approach to public event safety is moving jurisdictions from reactive to proactive protection — driven by partnerships, data and purpose
Meet Lt. Renee Guyan, who oversees major events, emergency management and behavioral threat planning to help keep Gainesville’s community safe
WEBINARS & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
POLICING MATTERS PODCAST
Lt. Mark Rickerman says FIFA 2026 will test public safety leaders with massive crowds, overlapping command structures, traffic gridlock and plans that must change after kickoff
From real-time intelligence to heat mitigation and regional mutual aid, one Kansas agency is building a team-of-teams strategy for a global event without hosting a single match
Lt. Zimmer and Capt. Mocello share how agencies can streamline event operations with scalable planning, intelligence-led tactics and tech like drones and AI, even with limited resources
DRONE SECURITY
FBI and LASD leaders said flight restrictions would be in place above all World Cup venues and that teams will be deployed to identify drones and bring them down
What law enforcement can do right now to address malicious drone activity, even as legislation struggles to keep pace
New counter-UAS systems funded through a FEMA grant will help Texas DPS detect, track and mitigate unauthorized drones during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and other events
IN THE NEWS
From D.C. to California, agencies are expanding security with drones, traffic enforcement and marine patrols
The FBI, Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police and D.C. National Guard are all involved in security coordination for the upcoming events
NYPD heavy-weapons teams, bomb-sniffing K-9s, mounted units, and the “full scope of the NYPD’s counter-terrorism capabilities,” were deployed during the parade
The FBI learned of the planned attacks days before the event and worked with partner agencies to stop the plots, making 5 arrests
Sgt. Connor Hardy has gone viral after mingling with a crowd of American and Scottish soccer fans, juggling a ball and doing a celebratory dance
The hackers, known as Handala, claim they obtained data from FBI-operated drones, including images and information linked to facial recognition and license plate readers
After briefings from police and the FBI, Mayor Katie Wilson said credible security concerns justify activating cameras near Seattle’s stadiums during tournament events
“From the ground to the sky, the Secret Service and our partners have it covered,” said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York office
The initiative will make 4,547 match tickets available through Vet Tix and 1st Tix for officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, registered nurses, dispatchers, veterans and active-duty military
Among the updated guidance, NENA said telecommunicators should check the ALI NAM field for international callback numbers rather than rely on ANI
ABOUT THE SPONSOR: PANASONIC
Latest rugged laptop delivers enhanced performance, refined design, new levels of security, and power efficient workflows in demanding environments
In order to effectively and efficiently protect their local community, officers rely on mobile devices in their patrol cars and out in the field.
Panasonic’s new solution protects devices from cyberattacks so police can focus on protecting their communities