ATLANTA — Mercedes-Benz Stadium is going to be jumping Monday night as the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Alabama Crimson Tide for the College National Championship.
Fans have filled The Gulch downtown, not letting a little rain spoil their tailgating.
[LIVE UPDATES: Georgia and Alabama to battle for the National Championship]
As they arrive at the stadium, fans will have to deal with a lot of extra security when they head in.
It is just one part of a massive public safety operation in full effect for the big game.
City now deploying dump trucks to block roads around @MBStadium ahead of @CFBPlayoff Championship Game. Critical part of @atlanta_police security strategy after truck terror attacks worldwide. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/DQXfQ3h8ND
— Aaron Diamant (@AaronDiamantWSB) January 8, 2018
"We're ready," Atlanta Police Chief Ericka Shields told Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant. "I'm ready to go out and play our game. We are ready and we just want to go out and execute, because we are prepared."
In an exclusive interview, Shields described how federal, state and local law enforcement officials spent nearly a year gathering intelligence and developing strategies to keep fans safe.
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“What you hope, though, is just that you’ve thought of and are able to mitigate any critical incident that may arise," Shields said.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park have all locked down access for the game.
[READ: President Trump arrives in Atlanta for National Championship game]
There are concrete barriers to keep cars away from crowds, extra surveillance cameras, plus hundreds of law enforcement boots on the ground, while police will run their plays from inside APD high-tech joint operations center.
“But at the end of the day we’re so reliant on our law enforcement and what they see, and the general public and what they see,” Shields said.
Game day in the Gulch! Tailgaters out in force! #GoDawgs #UGA2ATL @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/Ndt8IVOwU5
— Aaron Diamant (@AaronDiamantWSB) January 8, 2018
“Built into our plan is the possibility of having to change it, so there’s backup plan after backup plan,” Georgia World Congress Center’s Police Chief Paul Guerrucci told Diamant. “We’ve got to be flexible, got to be prepared. That’s what will make it flow smoothly.”
And just hours before kickoff, police seem convinced they’ve got fans covered.
“We really want our patrons to have a good time and enjoy themselves today and let us deal with everything else,” Guerrucci said.
The security effort won't let up after the game clock runs down. The APD said it plans to stay staffed up until at least noon Tuesday.
Secret Service ready for presidential visit
The Secret Service said the presidential detail advance crews have been in town for days working with agents from all over the country to secure Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of the National Championship.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne learned security sweeps started Sunday night, with President Donald Trump attending the game.
“This is what we’re paid for, to make sure the president is safe no matter where he goes,” Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Ken Cronin told Winne on Monday.
The elite @SecretService #countersniper team deployed for the #presidential visit to the game. Our exclusive presidential protection behind the scenes coverage @ 6 @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/1ZPSk29lQU
— Mark Winne (@MarkWinneWSB) January 8, 2018
It’s game day for the Georgia Bulldogs as they battle it out for the College National Championship against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Game day also happens to be Secret Service slang for when after all the advance work is done ahead of when the president touches down.
The Secret Service gave Winne a look behind the curtain at how its men and women prepared in the hours leading up to Trump's planned visit.
Secret Service Agent Dee Neely showed Winne the path Trump will take when he enters the stadium and the suite where Trump will be sitting for the big game.
Agents had been standing post outside the suite since sometime Sunday night and it was swept by humans with high-tech equipment and an explosive-detecting dog.
“You have tens of thousands of people that will be in that stadium with you?” Winne asked Cronin.
“Yes we will. And they will have been screened and we will have set up security perimeters as we see fit,” Cronin said.
The Secret Service said their own uniformed division would oversee all the screening at the stadium and their counter-sniper team is always at events like the National Championship game.
Agents said that concerns have been heightened since the Las Vegas shooting.
Cronin said cooperation with local and state law enforcement agencies is the backbone of a security operation planned for the National Championship.
Even before the announcement of a presidential visit, Atlanta police had an impressive plan laid out for security.
“We’re all on the same page,” Cronin said. “This is still a huge challenge. I think everyone is up to that challenge.”
RJ Stanford played cornerback in the NFL but now he's on the team protecting the #president & public @ @MBStadium for @SecretService Blessed to meet him as we worked on our behind the scenes exclusive on presidential protection @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/2CIkuTrRBs
— Mark Winne (@MarkWinneWSB) January 9, 2018
Before Georgia's safeties patrol the defensive backfield-- the Georgia State Patrol among the legions from the public safety community @ @MBStadium @NewYearsDani @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/Jy0fGkrBDa
— Mark Winne (@MarkWinneWSB) January 9, 2018
Inside the #President's suite @ @MBStadium with hard charging @SecretService Agent Dee Neely. Exclusive behind the scenes look at preparing to protect the president at the game @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/tmZ3T4LAJA
— Mark Winne (@MarkWinneWSB) January 8, 2018
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