Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said the city is actively reassessing safety plans to address any potential risks.
ARLINGTON, Texas — As the College Football Playoff semifinal game approaches next week, fans are set to gather at AT&T Stadium and the surrounding streets.
Law enforcement officials have spent months preparing for the event and have a comprehensive security plan in place to ensure public safety.
John Mathews, executive director of the Community Safety Institute, emphasized the importance of prevention and planning in securing large events.
“Well that’s the thing, it’s the prevention and planning and it’s making sure that you’ve got all your bases covered,” Mathews said.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross added that the city is actively reassessing safety plans to address any potential risks.
“I can assure the public that our law enforcement community is actively looking at New Orleans’ situation to see if there’s any lesson that we can learn,” Ross said.
The Arlington Police Department also addressed safety concerns in a statement, assuring the public that there are no known threats to the upcoming game.
“At this time we are not aware of any specific threats to the college football playoff national semi-final game, but as always, we will continue to monitor for any potential threats to public safety and respond accordingly,” the statement read.
Arlington Police spokesperson Tim Ciesco expressed solidarity with those impacted by the recent tragic events in New Orleans, while reaffirming the department’s commitment to safety.
“First and foremost, our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the tragic events in New Orleans and to the first responders who are working that incident. We’re praying for the full and speedy recoveries of everyone who was injured, including the officers who were shot while heroically engaging the suspect,” Ciesco said.
He continued, “The safety and security of visitors who attend events in the Arlington Entertainment District is always a top priority for the Arlington Police Department. We work year-round with our venue partners, as well as our city, regional, state, and federal partners, to develop robust security plans for major events.”
Ciesco also said Arlington Police regularly review incidents from across the state, country and world to adjust their security plans as needed
Mathews highlighted that the public’s vigilance is an essential part of the security effort, given that threats often come from individuals radicalized online.
“It’s not just the intelligence that we collect in law enforcement. We need the public’s help because these people are on social media. They are posting. They are communicating with each other and folks out there see it, they hear about it and they need to report it,” Mathews said.
Arlington, experienced in handling large events such as concerts and the Super Bowl, will have a significant law enforcement presence both inside and outside the stadium. Security measures include undercover officers and high-tech surveillance equipment. Fans are also urged to be aware of their surroundings while attending large gatherings.
Ciesco added that the department is prepared to ensure a smooth and safe experience for all attendees.
He also reminded visitors to review security policies at AT&T Stadium before attending and to familiarize themselves with rideshare drop-off and pickup locations.
“Similar to any major event we host, we will have a large law enforcement presence strategically posted in and around the stadium to help direct traffic, get fans safely from the parking lots to the venue and vice versa, and to respond quickly to any incidents that may arise,” Ciesco said. “We always encourage visitors to review the bag and security policies at AT&T Stadium before they arrive to ensure smooth entry into the event. We also encourage fans to review designated rideshare drop-off/pickup locations (for AT&T Stadium, it’s near Lot 15 off Randol Mill Rd) if they plan to use those services.”