Security challenges include a lack of equipment to track and neutralize drones, a two-month Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget freeze that has slowed preparations, and new legal powers that local governments have yet to fully understand, Politico writes.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran acknowledged before congressmen that procurement of anti-drone technology has been hampered by supply chain problems, even though the agency has invested more than $100 million in the past 18 months.
DHS has warned that the threat level is extremely high, especially outside the stadium.
The first game in the USA will be played on June 12 in Inglewood, between Paraguay and the home team.
Los Angeles will host eight of the 78 games in the U.S., and local police say they are well prepared to detect and neutralize drones, although federal agencies have their doubts.
The new law, known as the Safer Skies Act, expanded the authority of DHS and the Department of Justice to work with the Pentagon and Department of Transportation to develop rules for local governments.
The FBI’s training center in Alabama has already trained 65 state police officers, and the interest is huge.
Numerous federal agencies will be involved in security, from Customs and Border Protection to the Coast Guard and Secret Service. The technologies used range from radio frequency systems to break the connection between the drone and the operator, to advanced tools for jamming and intercepting the aircraft.
Officials warn that it is crucial to coordinate all the systems, because otherwise they could interfere with each other and create gaps in protection.
(Vijesti.ba/FENA)
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