LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The FBI’s Las Vegas office has spent months preparing security measures for the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Special Agent in Charge Christopher Delzotto expressing confidence in the multi-agency approach to keeping the event safe.
“There is confidence that we are prepared and ready to go no matter the situation,” Delzotto said.
Despite being in his position for only a few months, Delzotto said his team has been conducting safety drills and coordinating with law enforcement partners at local, state and federal levels since Formula One’s arrival in Las Vegas three years ago.
Multi-agency coordination key to security
“We have our monthly leadership staff involved with monthly meetings with all our law enforcement partners at the local state and federal level,” Delzotto said. “We have also done table top exercises where we run through different scenarios and how would we react to those so when it’s game time we aren’t talking it through for the first time.”
The FBI’s partnership with other agencies remains crucial for an event of this magnitude, according to Delzotto.
“When we are talking about an event as big as F1 or a bomb threat it really doesn’t matter what uniform you put on, which agency you work at, it’s public safety,” he said.
Airport screening and command posts
Security measures extend beyond the race track to Harry Reid International Airport, where travelers are being screened for potential threats.
“The folks going in and out of Las Vegas at Harry Reid airport are being screened for all sorts of things, criminal histories, connections to foreign terrorist organizations you name it,” Delzotto said.
FBI Las Vegas will operate five different command posts during the event, including one dedicated to monitoring social media threats.
“A large portion of complainants we receive during big events are online threats, we screen those we leverage those,” Delzotto said.
The FBI will conduct its final walk-through of the tracks next week. While much of the preparation remains consistent year to year, Delzotto said the agency considers global events and the current threat landscape in its planning.
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