SEATTLE — Now that the World Cup has come to an end here in Seattle, law enforcement leaders are debriefing on what went right and wrong with their safety plan.
Chief of Special Operations Jose Marenco tells us that after two and a half years of planning exactly how to keep everyone safe during the World Cup, they are proud to say Seattle made it through six matches without any major safety concerns.
“I’ve never seen this level of collaboration in any event. I’ve been a cop for thirty years, and I’m super proud of how we stepped up for public safety,” Marenco said.
Multiple state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies are breathing a sigh of relief now that the World Cup matches are over.
“Everything went well; we were super lucky that nothing big happened, and we were prepared. I think that’s what happens when you overprepare,” Marenco said.
He tells us KCSO didn’t respond to any scenes of violence, major medical incidents, or even drunk fans clashing after the games.
“No, there wasn’t really a whole lot going on. People seemed tame and in good spirits and having fun. I believe people felt safe, they could be themselves,” he added.
The biggest issue was illegal drone use, which means people were going against the flight restrictions.
“Most were just trying to get video and pictures and just trying out their equipment,” Marenco said.
Now they are looking ahead, looking forward to the challenge of a new Seattle event, with Marenco saying, “Yeah, let’s bring on the next one. We won’t see a World Cup-level event, but yeah, let’s bring on the Seahawks.”
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