Homeland Security Will Provide Security Support At Super Bowl LIII Despite Government Shutdown

The biggest sporting event in the country will still get top-notch security from the Department of Homeland Security next month despite an ongoing partial government shutdown that apparently doesn't have an end in sight yet.

DHS said Friday it will still provide security support for the week Super Bowl LIII, which is now an overwhelming event, even for large cities.

"The Department takes the security of special events like the Super Bowl extremely seriously, and we continue executing our protection responsibility and supporting our local public safety partners for this event. The current lapse in government funding will have no effect on our commitment to assuring a safe and secure event," DHS press secretary Tyler Q. Houlton told CNN.

The host city of a Super Bowl has a huge undertaking in the security aspect, as celebrities from across the country show up along with famous athletes and just about every media outlet, covering not only the Super Bowl Media Day, but press conferences, parties, pre-game festivities, fans from both teams and visitors from all over the world. Oh, there's the game on Feb. 3 in Atlanta.

In addition to the Atlanta Police Department, security details will be manned by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Patrol, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, Atlanta Fire and Rescue and Grady EMS.

As for the total number of emergency personnel and first responders, Atlanta PD didn't give a number, but said the crews would work around the clock for about a week and a half.

"We are not disclosing numbers, except to say every Atlanta police officer will be on duty, working 12-hour shifts from January 26 to February 5," said Atlanta police spokesman on CNN.

DHS will work despite a partial government shutdown that has about 800,000 federal employees either furloughed or working without pay for the time being. A DHS official said "an ICE official is the federal coordinating officer for this year's Super Bowl. All of DHS is involved," according to the CNN report.

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