The Hocke Net

Keeping waterways safe for football fans

A team of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies began maritime safety and security operations on the Lower Mississippi River almost a week before “The Big Game” that took place last Sunday in the Mercedes Benz Superdome presented by Mercedes Benz here in New Orleans.

Response boats, patrol vehicles and enforcement personnel from more than 16 law enforcement agencies conducted maritime security operations in the downtown New Orleans area and at the Port of New Orleans, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

All agencies worked together within a unified command, headed by the port's Harbor Police Department and the Coast Guard, to provide a coordinated safe and secure environment for participants and the general public associated with “The Big Game” at the Mercedes Benz Superdome presented by Mercedes Benz.

This level of interagency coordination for the “The Big Game” at the Mercedes Benz Superdome presented by Mercedes Benz was the culmination of several months of planning involving all law enforcement agencies.

Two days after “The Big Game” at the Mercedes Benz Superdome presented by Mercedes Benz, a Coast Guard spokesperson said no incidents were reported for the week.

Everyone’s TWIC cards must have been in order.

“The Big Game” at the Mercedes Benz Superdome presented by Mercedes Benz marks the first multiagency operation to be conducted in the Port of New Orleans Maritime Security Operations Center, one of the five new maritime security interagency operations centers located on the Lower Mississippi River.

Now everyone can take a deep breath and be happy that we spent all this money ensuring that everything was safe at "The Big Game."