Georgia World Congress Center Authority briefs senators on public-safety capabilities ahead of major events including FIFA
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Summary
GWCCA officials described campus public-safety organization, mutual-aid partnerships and plans for upcoming major events, including Club World Cup this summer and FIFA next year; they said off-duty and contracted officers plus state partners will provide staffing for traffic and perimeter security.
Representatives of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) briefed the Senate Public Safety Committee on Oct. 12 about campus public-safety operations and preparations for several major upcoming events, including the Club World Cup this June and FIFA next year.
Lindsey Strickland introduced GWCCA’s public-safety team: Senior Vice President Paul Garucci, Chief of Police Joe McKinney and CEO Kevin Duvall. McKinney said the authority maintains a state-certified Department of Public Safety on the campus, with 22 full-time post-certified sworn positions and an organizational structure that includes police, a security division and an emergency-preparedness office with a certified emergency manager.
McKinney described capabilities the GWCCA offers: a 24/7 911 dispatch center that monitors a large closed-circuit television system, two explosive-ordnance-disposal canines, a fixed shot-detection system and an emergency operations center that can integrate with state and federal partners using NIMS and incident-command practices. He said GWCCA handled more than 160 major events and 3.3 million visitors last year, producing significant economic impact and state revenue.
Officials said GWCCA relies on two staffing models for big events: mutual-aid responses from state and local partners and an off-duty/post-certified officer program that brings in as many as several hundred additional officers under GWCCA command. For very large events, officials said the authority funds and coordinates off-duty officers and works with partners including the Georgia State Patrol, the GBI, GEMA, FBI, the City of Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County and university police forces.
On FIFA and other upcoming sporting events, Garucci said the campus will run the traffic and perimeter plan and that GWCCA expects to use about 100–120 officers for traffic during major Club World Cup dates and an expanded plan for FIFA, including extended fan-fest days in Centennial Olympic Park. He said GWCCA has begun planning and has funding identified for off-duty staffing and anticipates relying on its established mutual-aid agreements.
Senators praised the coordination and asked about tabletop exercises, traffic engineering and integration with city and state traffic systems. McKinney said GWCCA runs regular exercises, coordinates monthly traffic meetings with DOT and private traffic engineers, and uses traffic engineers to operate signals while officers keep intersections clear.
Committee members expressed support for the authority’s planning and pledged legislative help if needed as the agency prepares for large international events.
