Photo By Spc. Adrianne Lopez | Soldiers with the 72nd Military Police Company perform their duties outside of...... read more read more
LAS VEGAS – About 80 Nevada National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated on state orders Sunday in Clark County for Super Bowl LVIII to ensure a winning atmosphere for everyone attending the first professional football championship contested in Nevada. The Soldiers and Airmen supplemented local first responders and law enforcement with safety matters, crowd control and medical support during the event that drew nearly 62,000 spectators to Allegiant Stadium.
The activation placed Soldiers and Airmen at strategic locations outside Allegiant Stadium and two hospitals within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Clark County officials requested the Nevada Guard support well in advance of the game to continue the county’s proactive approach to potential security threats or emergency incidents at huge events like the Super Bowl and Formula 1 auto racing.
Nevada Army Guard Soldiers displayed seamless cooperation with local law enforcement throughout the day. The Las Vegas Valley-based 72nd Military Police Company assisted with crowd and traffic control and bolstered the overall security around Allegiant Stadium.
Despite the disappointment of San Francisco fans in the game's outcome, according to southern Nevada news outlets, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported a total of 6 arrests in the aftermath of the Chiefs' 25-22 victory.
First Lt. Blake Stamps, the commander of the 72nd MPs, noted the close ties between National Guard military police units and civilian law enforcement in southern Nevada.
“Within the National Guard, a lot of Soldiers also work in civilian law enforcement, including Metro Police and the highway patrol,” Stamps said. “These domestic operations missions present opportunities for Guard units to serve alongside our full-time law enforcement counterparts, especially during the big events we’ve had locally within the past months.
“We rely heavily on our Soldiers who are also employed by those civilian law enforcement agencies for advice and guidance as we prepare for state missions such as the Super Bowl so we’re ready to respond to any situation that may arise and ensure we provide a safe and pleasant experience for the public.”
72nd MP Staff Sgt. Jonnathan Cabrera is one of the Nevada Guard’s Soldiers who doubles as a civilian law enforcement official. When not on military duty, he works as a policeman with the Las Vegas Metro Police. He said regardless which uniform he’s wearing, he enjoys supporting southern Nevada each time it hosts a huge event.
“I really enjoy working with the community whether as a National Guard Soldier or Metro policeman,” Cabrera said. “It's still essentially the same mission.”
The Carson City-based 92nd Civil Support Team played a critical behind-the-scenes role during the event by monitoring the atmosphere and analyzing suspicious substances on-site during the day’s activities. Approximately 15 specially trained Soldiers and Airmen continuously assessed air quality and quickly evaluated potential threats.
About 35 Airmen from the Nevada Air Guard’s 152nd Medical Group were activated for the event to perform potential triage assistance at two local hospitals in the case of a mass-casualty event during the event. The proactive activation once again signaled Clark County’s desire to remain prepared for any situation at a national event.
The command-and-control element of the Nevada Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package also activated roughly 20 guardsmen for the day to provide logistical support for the mission. They played a vital role in coordinating operations, providing communications and overseeing logistics.
72nd MP Sgt. Jessica Ortega personally thanked the exemplary fans of Super Bowl LVIII.
“I want to say thank you to the community for being so cooperative with us,” Ortega said. “There's a lot of local law enforcement involved with these types of events. The community involvement and everybody’s safety is a big priority for us.”
| Date Taken: | 02.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.13.2024 16:09 |
| Story ID: | 463809 |
| Location: | LAS VEGAS, NV, US |
| Web Views: | 223 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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