The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Heightened security plans are in place for next weekend’s Sugar Bowl, with police expecting more than 170,000 football fans in town for the game.
Terry Ebbert, the city’s homeland security director, said he wants to make sure everyone who comes to New Orleans has a good and safe time.
“We are working hard so that everybody that visits the city gets an opportunity to enjoy the Sugar Bowl,” he said.
The New Orleans Police Department, no stranger to handling large and rowdy crowds, expects more fans than came to the city for the 2000 Sugar Bowl, which also determined the national championship.
About 150 police officers will be stationed inside the Louisiana Superdome on game day, and Capt. Marlon Defillo said 400 law enforcement personnel from various agencies will be patrolling the French Quarter and central business district beginning Tuesday and remaining until after Sunday’s game.
The number of officers assigned to the French Quarter has been tripled, Defillo said.
“We think we have a good plan in place. You’ll see a very high visibility of uniformed police officers,” he said.
Defillo and Ebbert said it is essentially the same strategy used during Mardi Gras. The NOPD gets help from the state police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Orleans Criminal and Civil sheriff’s offices, the Kenner and Harahan police departments and the Levee District Police, Defillo said.
The game will not receive national security event protection, unlike the 2002 Super Bowl in the Superdome.
Even though the nation’s terror threat level has been raised from “elevated” to “high,” Ebbert said he’s not worried.
“We have no specific terrorist-related security or intell that would cause us any concern at this time,” Ebbert said.