Indianapolis officials announce Super Bowl safety plans

There is an elaborate plan local and federal agencies are putting together for the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl is in less than two months and the number one priority is safety.

"We are rolling out some of the most sophisticated technology used at major events," Public Safety Director Frank Straub said.

Straub said the plan has taken a couple of years to put together as technology developed.

"I would argue that the level of protection we're going to provide for the Super Bowl will far exceed levels of protection, information sharing and cooperation that has ever been experienced in Super Bowls in other cities," Straub said.

Some of the equipment officers and federal agents will be using, they have used on a daily basis so they are familiar with it, Straub mentioned.
Leading up to the Super Bowl and on game day everyone with IMPD, IFD, EMS and Homeland Security will be working to make sure fans are safe. Straub said locally there are about 3,000 people.

"My guess is they're going to see an awful lot of people whether it's EMT's or federal agents or it's fire fighters. You will see people on the ground," Straub said.

There will be people flying helicopters around the city, also keeping an eye on things. There will be a live feed going into a command bus. The command bus has two detention cells, in case federal agents arrest someone.

People who have been working on the plan said there has been a collaborative effort among the agencies. They said they are ready to put the plan into place. Straub called it the "highest level of protection" for fans Super Bowl week and the day of the game.

"Our message today as a unified public safety community is that the Super Bowl is something we are taking very seriously," Straub said.

Something officers will be using that they have not used on a large scale are iPhones. They will be able to send pictures immediately to the command post.

"We have a different angle. We're looking from the top, they're looking straight on. So, there could be something that we're missing that (we) can't pick up that they're seeing," Gary Coons, Chief of the City of Indianapolis Division of Homeland Security, said.

There are many details about the plan that have not been disclosed. Fox59 learned U.S. Customs and Border Protection has started working. They are checking every packing going into Lucas Oil Stadium.