Local, federal officials prepare for Super Bowl in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (KMIZ)
Officials at both the local and federal level are getting ready for thousands of visitors in New Orleans for Super Bowl 59.
The New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee discussed "the city's readiness" on Monday morning at the Ernest Morial Convention Center at 10 a.m. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was joined by other state elected officials and business leaders helping host the NFL's championship. Public safety officials like the city's police chief Anne Kirkpatrick and Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem spoke at a new conference following the opening ceremony press conference.
The city is hosting the event a month after a man drove a truck through a crowd on New Orleans's famous Bourbon Street on New Year's Day. That incident left 14 people dead and dozens of others hurt. Surveillance footage showed the truck driving around a police car blocking Bourbon Street at Canal Street. Federal officials said the suspect was inspired by ISIS in the terror attack that killed 14 people.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell spoke about the moments following the Bourbon Street attack and how the NFL responded to the incident.
"They wanted to make sure that the soul and the spirit of New Orleans was unshaken as well," Cantrell said. "And so I want to say thank you, because the focus was on this city, hope people, but also recognizing that when we come together, we are stronger together."
State leaders touted the city's "enhanced security zone" in its famous French Quarter. The zone makes a rectangle around the district. Louisiana State Police spokesperson Sgt. Kate Stegall said ice chests and coolers are prohibited and bags bigger than a clutch are subject to search by law enforcement stationed around it. New Orleans police will also block off Bourbon Street and its surrounding streets to vehicle traffic every day at 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. using bollards or other blockades. Stegall said law enforcement may decide to block those streets to vehicles during the day, as well, should pedestrian traffic pick up.
The mayor's office posted on Jan. 11 that its police department "will be staffed at 100 percent, with additional state and federal officers present, for enhanced security measures." The city is also working with a Bill Bratton, the former chief of the New York Police Department, as a security consultant, to help prepare.
The city also launched a new app called the "NOLA Ready Public Safety App" for visitors to download. The app allows people to report incidents and view interactive maps of its services.