ATLANTA — Atlanta leaders say they plan to enhance security with additional patrols around the city ahead of the National Championship game and other events taking place on Monday.
Security will be ramped up on Monday as the city of Atlanta will host several major events.
“We will not rest until all of residents and visitors leave safe with a positive experience and great stories to tell when they get back home,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens previously said.
Director of the College Football Playoff Rich Clark says he is confident in the safety plans ahead of the championship game scheduled at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.
Atlanta police has also upped security for events surrounding Martin Luther King Day and the presidential inauguration.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service is set to begin at 10 a.m.
City leaders have been working with police and other agencies about adjusting security plans in wake of the deadly New Orleans attack on New Year’s Day.
“We were taking note on how a vehicle was used to harm citizens to carry out the attack, and how IEDs were placed in the area,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum previously said. “It’s not just New Orleans. We look at terror attacks around the globe, and where terrorists try to harm, we do our very best to make sure we stand in that gap for the citizens.”
Schierbaum and other city leaders previously discussed security plans during a briefing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the site of Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship between the University of Notre Dame and Ohio State University.
Atlanta city leaders previously said officers will be working 12-hour shifts, Atlanta police say off days have been canceled and officers will be working 12-hour shifts. APD will also activate its specialized units, including the bomb squad.