As the bill for policing the Super Bowl rises, Minneapolis officials are promising a measured security response to the 10 days of festivities leading up to the game.
City administrators have approved an additional $574,000 in the security budget for Super Bowl LII, according to city contracts signed in late December and early January. That brings the total police budget for the event to about $3.7 million.
The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee will reimburse the city for the costs, said Mark Ruff, the city's chief financial officer. Ruff said the original contract between the city and host committee provided the option to increase budgets as those coordinating the massive event got a better sense of real costs.
"It's completely within the realm of what we expected," he said.
City spokesman Casper Hill wouldn't disclose what the money will fund, saying it's confidential security information.
With at least 125,000 visitors traveling to Minneapolis starting Friday, officers from more than 60 law enforcement agencies will be providing security for the festivities leading up to the game. That includes the Minnesota National Guard, ICE and the FBI.
City Council Member Steve Fletcher has been among those raising concerns about potential clashes between Minneapolis residents and a stepped-up police presence. Fletcher questioned Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo at a public safety meeting last week about the plan to keep the security force in check and said he was satisfied with the chief's answers.
"The outside help that's coming in is there for event-based security and emergency response for the really bad scenarios," Fletcher said. "Day to day, what most people in the city are going to see is Minneapolis police much like they're normally accustomed to. That's the goal."
