The NFL held a press conference to discuss security procedures surrounding Super Bowl XLVIII and sent the message that there will be an outsize presence from various law enforcement agencies at MetLife Stadium and around mass transit on Super Bowl Sunday.
Aaron Ford, head of the FBI’s Newark office, said that the agency was operating a 24-hour command center to monitor counterterrorism information. That will continue until the game, but New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton said that there have been no specific threats made against the game.
“Certainly, we’re keeping an eye on activities around the world, but as of this time, there are no threats directed against this event that we’re aware of,” Bratton said, via the Associated Press.
The assembled officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and New Jersey State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes, said that the heavy use of mass transit to get to the game creates some concerns but that they feel well prepared for Sunday. Fuentes said that any vehicles bringing people to the game “are going to be scanned, they’re going to be checked, they’re going to be swept,” and that recent attacks near the 2014 Winter Olympics host city Sochi have prompted a new set of discussions among security officials.