Host cities work together years before Super Bowls

FORT LAUDERDALE (WISH) - Several Hoosiers who made the trip to South Florida packed badges instead of horseshoes. Local law enforcement officers are here to learn, not cheer.

Several members of IMPD, IFD, the State Police, the Indianapolis Department of Safety and the local FBI office were headed to South Florida this week no matter which teams were playing.

Since Indianapolis is hosting the big game in 2012, the group is here to tour the Super Bowl venues, like the media center, where we caught up with the group.

They told me South Florida is an excellent place to learn from. This is the area's 10th time hosting the Super Bowl, so they've seen it all and kept it all safe.

The host cities begin going and trying to pick up different things and look at whatever modifications are made from one year to the next three years prior to their Super Bowl.

"It's always better in situations like this to learn from someone else's mistakes instead of trying to work through than your own," IMPD Deputy Chief John Conley said.

Gary Coons of the Indianapolis Department of Public Safety said, "The hotel security was a little bit bigger than we originally thought. The team hotels and how you transport them to the practice field with escorts and get 'em through the traffic to get where they need to go.

"So that was a little new to what we really thought, but everything else seems to be going well."

Louisiana hosts the Super Bowl in 2013. So, in 2012, the New Orleans group will be in the Circle City.

Deputy Chief Conley told me he hopes the Colts win so our visitors from New Orleans can get a good long look at the championship banner from this year.