A vast network of local, state and federal law enforcement and emergency departments around California have been coordinating for over a year in preparation to maximize safety in the Bay Area during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara is hosting six soccer matches this summer for the World Cup, with the first on June 13 and the last on July 1.
“The foundation’s been laid, and we’re ready,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee at a Friday briefing.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, invited public safety officials to speak at the briefing to outline their efforts in preparing for potential emergencies that could come with hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world.
“Law enforcement, first responders, and emergency managers have done some diligent work to lay out operational plans, transportation plans, and contingency plans in the case that something does go awry,” Duryee said.
Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs said at the briefing that the matches “will bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world to California.”
Cal OES has been working with federal agencies such as the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Transportation Security Administration to align resources. At the state and local level, the Santa Clara Police Department is leading public safety efforts in partnership with the CHP, the California National Guard, and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is a unified response from several agencies,” Duryee said. “It’s all hands on deck.”
All hands on deck
Cal OES has conducted more than 100 exercises and meetings to plan for a wide range of scenarios, such as cybersecurity attacks, bomb threats, chemical attacks and civil unrest.
The California National Guard will have hundreds of soldiers available to help detect possible threats as well as respond in the event of an emergency, said California Adjutant General Matthew Beevers.
The CHP will have more than 350 officers assigned to the matches to help with crowd management and civil unrest. There will also be canines trained to detect narcotics and explosives.
Additional CHP officers will be enforcing driving laws, with a focus on DUI enforcement and aggressive drivers.
“They will be deployed in mass force, and they’ll be focused on keeping everybody safe,” Duryee said.
“Be those eyes and ear. If you see something that’s abnormal, report it.”
Sean Duryee, California Highway Patrol Commissioner
Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan said that past major sporting events, including Super Bowl 60 that was held at Levi’s Stadium in February, have helped prepare the department for the World Cup matches.
“Rather than starting from scratch, we are building upon a framework that has already been tested and proven,” Morgan said. “The planning structures, coordination groups, and partnerships established for the Super Bowl remained in place as we transitioned into FIFA World Cup planning.”
Cal OES is also asking members of the public to report any suspicious activity.
“Be those eyes and ears,” Duryee said. “If you see something that’s abnormal, report it.”
Because the matches will span multiple weeks in Santa Clara, public safety efforts and coordination will be continuous between matches.
“Californians expect us to be prepared for both planned and unexpected emergencies,” Thomas Jacobs said. “This expectation drives our planning every day as we move closer to kickoff.”
