GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Super Bowl is considered a national security special event, which means it will have the highest level of security.
Dozens of local and federal agencies are working together to ensure the safety of the more than 100,000 people expected to visit the Valley for the big game, on top of the millions that live here.
While hundreds of law enforcement boots will be on the ground, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations will be patrolling from high above.
“The biggest goal is safety and that on Sunday, everybody has fun and everybody [makes it] home,” said Alexander Zamora, supervisory air enforcement agent.
He said 50 agents from Arizona and other states would operate H125 A-Star and Blackhawk helicopters over State Farm Stadium, conducting security patrols.
The agents will have two missions—enforce the 30-mile temporary flight restriction zone around the stadium and help with ground security.
“If an aircraft or a general aircraft type gets too close to the stadium, we’re going to identify, intercept, and pull aside and make communication with that aircraft and try to get [them] to an airport or get [them] to pull outside that [restricted zone],” Zamora said.
The aircraft are equipped with radars, infrared and live cameras. Agents can feed back video to command centers if an emergency arises. They will fly before, during, and after the game in shifts of two hours.
“Having that eye in the sky, having that aircraft, being able to move to possible situations, not really knowing what they are and to be able to decipher what they might need or what might be going on in the ground, I think is very critical, whether it be a medical or law enforcement situation,” Zamora said.
“It really takes a combined effort to be able to make everything run smoothly,” he added.
The no-drone-zone will be in place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. within a two-mile radius around State Farm Stadium.
A temporary flight restriction will also be in place within a 30-mile radius of the stadium from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Pilots and drone operators who enter the flight-restricted areas without permission could face a fine of up to $30,000 and potential criminal prosecution.