ATLANTA — With Falcons fans fired up for their first look inside the new Mercedes-Benz stadium, federal, state and local police are poised to pull the trigger on a massive security plan.
Atlanta Police Capt. Reginald Moorman, the stadium’s senior public safety official, along with an army of experts began developing specific security strategies from the ground up, even before they had the building’s blueprints.
“The level of sophistication, I feel like I’ve earned a PhD in stadium preparation over the last couple of years,” Moorman said.
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Outside, fans will see concrete barriers separating them from the surrounding streets, a response to a recent rash of terrorist truck attacks overseas.
“We’re monitoring everything that’s happening around the world, so that we’re ready here in Atlanta for anything that may come our way,” Moorman said.
There are also lots of surveillance cameras - all tied to command centers watching the crowds and tracking any suspected bad actors.
Fans are being told to keep an eye open, too.
"It is in my mind,” said fan Chris Hernandez. “It’s in the back of my mind, but it’s good to know that they have all the reinforcements put up in advance not reacting to something that might happen in the future. They already have in place.”
Outside the stadium’s security checkpoints, Moorman said undercover officers will deploy inside the crowds, plus a long list of other security measures kept secret.
“I think that you can never be prepared enough, but I think we’re as close to it as we can possibly be,” Moorman said.
Cox Media Group
