Super Bowl festivities are underway across the Bay Area. And in the lead up to the big event, the Oakland Police Department says it has been working for weeks to keep streets safe.
Super Bowl festivities are underway across the Bay Area. And in the lead up to the big event, the Oakland Police Department says it has been working for weeks to keep streets safe.
"The message is, if you come here to celebrate the Super Bowl, and engage in parties and festivities, and you think it's a good idea to drive out to International (Boulevard) and pick up a prostitute, just keep in mind that it's probably an undercover police officer," says Interim Police Chief James Beere, with the Oakland Police Department.
Chief Beere says OPD has been working on tackling prostitution since January, gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday. He says 37 men have already been arrested for engaging in the commercial sex trade.
"I expect that number to go up as we go into the weekend. These are men that came from outside of Oakland, approximately 65% came from other neighborhoods," explains Beere.
Chief Beere says there be will extra officers and traffic enforcement around Lake Merritt, where the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, will host the only official NFL-sanctioned watch party. He says SWAT and other special units will also be deployed across the city.
Oakland police say there is no intel of any organized sideshow activities, but they are preparing for it, as big events often draw sideshows across Oakland.
"Keep in mind, if you come into our city to drive recklessly, expect that we will show up to your house and your driveway, tow your car, and possibly take you to jail. We have had more than 16 vehicles towed, leading up to this event already," explains Beere.
Chief Beere says there are no known threats targeting Oakland. But addition to local police, there will be federal agents operating across the Bay Area. But as of now, not ICE.
"There's no planned ICE enforcement activities. We are confident of that," says Cathy Lanier, NFL Chief of Security.
Staffing is often an issue for OPD. Beere says they did not cancel days off for officers, but they are maximizing resources.
He is also calling on businesses and residents to do their part.
"We encourage businesses to operate responsibly, follow all safety requirements and partner with OPD to ensure that patrons in surrounding neighborhoods are safe," says Beere.
