Local officials, federal agencies and military engineers partnered with the National Football League (NFL) to enhance security for the 88th annual draft. In the months leading up to this year’s draft, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), local officials and the NFL collaborated to provide a safe venue for all participants and the public.

Specifically, the collaboration included the deployment of the Ready Armor Protection for Instant Deployment (RAPID) barrier and the Deployable Expedient Traffic Entry Regulator (DETER). The RAPID barrier is a collapsible protective security product used for critical asset protection and intrusion prevention that stands up within 30 minutes. The DETER regulator is a barrier that protects critical assets and soft targets from vehicular attacks. It was designed for quick deployment and is adaptable to various lane widths, road surfaces and environmental conditions.

“CISA Region 7 was honored to be the location for this product launch,” said CISA Regional Director Phil Kirk. “Partnership is at the core of everything we do, from our on-the-ground support for security preparedness with our protective security program to rolling out new tools like the RAPID barrier. Together, we find ways to build resiliency that are deployable and successful.”

Although the draft and similar sporting events have concluded without major incident, professional sports venues and games are no exception to threats. Open-source reporting has tracked numerous bomb threats, with suspicious packages found at athletic stadiums and other sports facilities in recent years. To combat these concerns, collaborative partnerships have increased transparency for security teams and remain critical to providing safe venues for participants and attendees.