Posted by Secretary Napolitano

The Department of Homeland Security is proud to help secure Super Bowl XLVI. This week, I joined officials from the National Football League (NFL) in Indianapolis to announce DHS’s continued partnership with the NFL on our “If You See Something, Say Something™” public awareness campaign.



As part of this partnership, we work with law enforcement partners, the NFL, event staff and volunteers, and the public to help ensure the safety and security of everyone who is in town for the big game.

Our message is simple: if you see something that doesn’t look right—an unattended bag or package, a person behaving in a suspicious manner, a vehicle that seems out of place—report it to the authorities.



Time and again, we see the value of this kind of public vigilance in thwarting terrorism and crime, including foiled plots against the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Spokane, Washington and more recently at the Fort Hood military base in Killeen, Texas.

At the Super Bowl, “If You See Something, Say Something™” campaign graphics will appear on the videoboard and televisions throughout Lucas Oil Stadium on game day. Safety messaging will be printed in game programs and fan guides for staff, players, and volunteers. The “If You See Something, Say Something ™” advertisements are also featured throughout Indianapolis at the airport, hotels, restaurants, bars, and on buses, magazines and visitor guides.



We’re also supporting Super Bowl security in other ways, helping Lucas Oil Stadium and other entertainment and hospitality venues throughout the Indianapolis identify address potential risks; providing “First Observer” anti-terrorism and security awareness training to more than 8,000 stadium staff and volunteers; helping secure transit to and from the stadium with our Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams; and scanning all of the cargo entering the stadium for contraband such as narcotics, weapons, and explosives.

Security is a shared responsibility and each citizen has a role to play in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats. Through efforts like “If You See Something, Say Something™”, we can engage everyone, including Super Bowl fans, in our homeland security efforts.



So while you’re watching the game this weekend, remember—if you see something, say something.

This weekend individuals, friends, and families across the country and around the world gather to embark on a treasured, yet unofficial holiday of sorts...

Super Bowl Sunday - the culmination of the NFL season, the day when serious and casual fans alike come together to enjoy the excitement of the biggest sporting event of the year.

Most Americans will watch the game close to home, enjoying lively banter about whether the Green Bay Packers or the Pittsburgh Steelers can claim a better defense, or which ad can deliver a better punchline. Others, especially in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area where this year's game will be played at Cowboys Stadium, will be caught up in a rush of crowds and activity that both adds to the frenzy and presents opportunities for helping to ensure the security of fans, players and employees by identifying and reporting suspicious activity.

That's why DHS has partnered with the NFL to bring our "If You See Something, Say Something™" public awareness campaign to Super Bowl XLV. Each citizen has a role to play in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats - and this year, the campaign will be a driving force in helping those attending the game or watching from nearby to participate in the shared responsibility of keeping the area safe and secure.

The "If You See Something, Say Something™" campaign has been running print advertisements in and around the Dallas area, reminding citizens to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities.  "If You See Something, Say Something™" will be prominently displayed on press credentials, souvenir prints, stadium TV monitors, game day maps, and even on the famed octagonal ‘jumbotron’ at Cowboys Stadium - the biggest in the world - making this reminder of our shared commitment to hometown security impossible to miss.

Secretary Napolitano joined NFL Vice President for Security Milt Ahlerich and Arlington, Texas, Chief of Police Theron Bowman on Monday to launch the partnership. Since DHS is also working with federal, state, local and private sector partners to support security efforts at the Super Bowl through additional personnel, technology and resources, Secretary Napolitano took some time to tour the stadium and meet with state and local law enforcement leaders in the areas as well working to protect the throngs of football enthusiasts in the area this weekend.

The “If You See Something, Say Something™” message was also incorporated into a training video for NFL employees, which ensures that both employees and fans alike have the tools they need to identify and report suspicious activities and threats. 

"Security is a shared responsibility and each citizen has a role to play in identifying and reporting suspicious activities and threats," said Secretary Napolitano at a press conference earlier this week. "Our partnership with the NFL and local law enforcement to bring the "If You See Something, Say Something™" campaign to Super Bowl XLV is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the safety of every player, employee and fan in the area for the game."

So whether your wardrobe on Sunday will consist of black and yellow from head to toe, or a stylish cheesehead chapeau, remember that DHS and the "If You See Something, Say Something ™” campaign are hard at work ensuring that Super Bowl XLV remains a fun, enjoyable, and safe environment for everyone involved.

“If You See Something, Say Something ™” used with permission of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority