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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Joel Bryden

Aired January 25, 2003 - 18:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the other big story this weekend, Super Bowl XXXVII. We are going to have more on the hoopla later in the show, but first let's focus on security against any terror threat there. Our Mike Brooks joins us live from San Diego.
Mike, I know some arrests have already been made. What do you know?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there have been some arrests, but for the most part the crowds have been great. Last night in the Gas Lamp District, there were over 100,000 people. They are expecting up to 150,000 people tonight because of the great weather we've been having here today and the fireworks tonight.

I spoke with federal law enforcement officials earlier today and they said that there is absolutely now inkling of a threat of terrorism here at the Super Bowl.

But yesterday we spent some time at QUALCOMM Stadium, talking about what will go on, on game day tomorrow, with Captain Scott Bryden -- I'm sorry, Captain Joel Bryden, of the San Diego Police Department, who talked about exactly what people can expect when they get to the stadium tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAPT. JOEL BRYDEN, SAN DIEGO POLICE: Where we are standing, right here, there will be private security. They will be padding people down, checking for weapons, looking in the small bags that we are allowing people to bring in. And then once that happens they'll step through this gate, and walk up into this area here.

Right here, you see the tables set up, you see the magnetometers in case it goes off, for whatever reason. They will wand people much like at the airport. They'll have chairs to have people take their shoes off if need be. Very similar to what goes on at the airport.

BROOKS: So, Raiders' fans, sometimes they wear some crazy costumes, with spikes on them. I saw one yesterday, he had a Darth Vader helmet, he had spikes all over it. Are those costumes, people in costumes going to be allowed into the stadium?

BRYDEN: Well, you know, it going to be a case-by-case basis. If the costume has metal in it, it's not coming in, because as we walk through the magnetometer, it will set it off. If it can be used as a weapon, of any type, a helmet or something, we're not going to let that in either.

BROOKS: Now, there are cameras, both inside and outside the stadium, 52 cameras?

BRYDEN: Yes.

BROOKS: What is the main purpose of the cameras?

BRYDEN: During a game, what is great for us, is it allows us to be in places where we're really not. To be able to see in the tunnels and out in the parking lot and any place where we might not be looking, those cameras are looking all the time.

We knew that we had done everything possible on the ground and we did not have control of the air space, so we requested the federal government, more specifically the Office of Homeland Security to close the air space for us. And they've done that because we wanted this to be the safest venue in America that day.

BROOKS: So, during game day, you won't see a blimp? You won't see a fixed aircraft with banners flying around like you do at normal football games and at other Super Bowls, right?

BRYDEN: That's correct.

BROOKS: We looked around outside QUALCOMM Stadium, you look at the high ground, surrounding the stadium, some areas that are higher than the stadium. Is that a concern to law enforcement?

BRYDEN: Well, you know, in any tactical situation the advantage normally is to the people at the high ground, but we think this is a safe venue. Out here it is going to be quite different than at other football games people have attended. But once they get inside that stadium, it's going to be like any other Super Bowl. They're going to have a great time and be safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKS: And that's the bottom line, Carol. They want everyone to have a good time and be safe. Law enforcement has been planning for over a year; they've been planning for the worst, but they hope for the best. Carol.

LIN: Well, they sound prepared. Good to know. Thank you very much, Mike Brooks reporting live in San Diego.

Tomorrow an estimated 130 million people will tune into Super Bowl XXXVIII, the highest ratings for the Super Bowl came back in 1982, when the 49ers beat the Bengals, in the first Super Bowl for each team.

The lowest ratings came 25 years ago in Super Bowl II, when the Packers won their second straight Super Bowl, beating the Raiders. Brings back some memories.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 25, 2003 - 18:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the other big story this weekend, Super Bowl XXXVII. We are going to have more on the hoopla later in the show, but first let's focus on security against any terror threat there. Our Mike Brooks joins us live from San Diego.
Mike, I know some arrests have already been made. What do you know?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there have been some arrests, but for the most part the crowds have been great. Last night in the Gas Lamp District, there were over 100,000 people. They are expecting up to 150,000 people tonight because of the great weather we've been having here today and the fireworks tonight.

I spoke with federal law enforcement officials earlier today and they said that there is absolutely now inkling of a threat of terrorism here at the Super Bowl.

But yesterday we spent some time at QUALCOMM Stadium, talking about what will go on, on game day tomorrow, with Captain Scott Bryden -- I'm sorry, Captain Joel Bryden, of the San Diego Police Department, who talked about exactly what people can expect when they get to the stadium tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAPT. JOEL BRYDEN, SAN DIEGO POLICE: Where we are standing, right here, there will be private security. They will be padding people down, checking for weapons, looking in the small bags that we are allowing people to bring in. And then once that happens they'll step through this gate, and walk up into this area here.

Right here, you see the tables set up, you see the magnetometers in case it goes off, for whatever reason. They will wand people much like at the airport. They'll have chairs to have people take their shoes off if need be. Very similar to what goes on at the airport.

BROOKS: So, Raiders' fans, sometimes they wear some crazy costumes, with spikes on them. I saw one yesterday, he had a Darth Vader helmet, he had spikes all over it. Are those costumes, people in costumes going to be allowed into the stadium?

BRYDEN: Well, you know, it going to be a case-by-case basis. If the costume has metal in it, it's not coming in, because as we walk through the magnetometer, it will set it off. If it can be used as a weapon, of any type, a helmet or something, we're not going to let that in either.

BROOKS: Now, there are cameras, both inside and outside the stadium, 52 cameras?

BRYDEN: Yes.

BROOKS: What is the main purpose of the cameras?

BRYDEN: During a game, what is great for us, is it allows us to be in places where we're really not. To be able to see in the tunnels and out in the parking lot and any place where we might not be looking, those cameras are looking all the time.

We knew that we had done everything possible on the ground and we did not have control of the air space, so we requested the federal government, more specifically the Office of Homeland Security to close the air space for us. And they've done that because we wanted this to be the safest venue in America that day.

BROOKS: So, during game day, you won't see a blimp? You won't see a fixed aircraft with banners flying around like you do at normal football games and at other Super Bowls, right?

BRYDEN: That's correct.

BROOKS: We looked around outside QUALCOMM Stadium, you look at the high ground, surrounding the stadium, some areas that are higher than the stadium. Is that a concern to law enforcement?

BRYDEN: Well, you know, in any tactical situation the advantage normally is to the people at the high ground, but we think this is a safe venue. Out here it is going to be quite different than at other football games people have attended. But once they get inside that stadium, it's going to be like any other Super Bowl. They're going to have a great time and be safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKS: And that's the bottom line, Carol. They want everyone to have a good time and be safe. Law enforcement has been planning for over a year; they've been planning for the worst, but they hope for the best. Carol.

LIN: Well, they sound prepared. Good to know. Thank you very much, Mike Brooks reporting live in San Diego.

Tomorrow an estimated 130 million people will tune into Super Bowl XXXVIII, the highest ratings for the Super Bowl came back in 1982, when the 49ers beat the Bengals, in the first Super Bowl for each team.

The lowest ratings came 25 years ago in Super Bowl II, when the Packers won their second straight Super Bowl, beating the Raiders. Brings back some memories.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com