Officials won’t say if security for this weekend’s Academy Awards will be bolstered because of any fear of a drone attack by Iran on California — but law enforcement did say that tight precautions will be in place, as always.
Los Angeles police officers and the FBI will be about.
“The Academy Awards is one of the largest and most celebrated events hosted in the city of Los Angeles each year,” LAPD said in a statement. “The Los Angeles Police Department works closely with the Academy and our regional public-safety partners to ensure a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all attendees, workers, and visitors.
“This year’s security planning has been extensive,” LAPD officials said. “Our (months-long) preparations include layered security perimeters, traffic management plans, and a highly visible police presence throughout the Hollywood area.”
The LAPD, the FBI and the Academy declined to directly address the drone threat reported by ABC on Wednesday, March 11, based on an internal memo that on Thursday, March 12, the White House downplayed: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called for the story to be retracted, saying it was based on “unverified” information.
Reports of the FBI memo came out as war in the Middle East entered a second week.
“The FBI routinely works with our local law enforcement partners responsible for security at special events in and around Los Angeles, including the Academy Awards, in order to share intelligence and provide resources where needed,” Laura Eimiller, a bureau spokesperson, said on Thursday, March 12.
The awards show is set to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theater on Sunday, March 15.
Hal Kempfer, a retired U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer with extensive public-safety experience, expects the event to “tighten up” security even further.
“They’re going to have to look really hard at if they want to do the red carpet outdoors, or move it indoors or cover it,” Kempfer said. “Visually, you can limit what somebody can do with a drone if you do that.”
Kempfer said counter-drone capabilities are not particularly advanced.
“Part of the problem with drones here at home — if you see a drone out there, is it a kamikaze drone, it is a threat?,” he said. “If I use something to take the drone down in a crowded area … it is going to come down on someone?”
Kempfer said at a large event like this, identifiable law enforcement and security, plainclothes officers and technology like closed-circuit TV and infrared cameras can all be expected to be utilized. Law enforcement will be on the lookout for threats on the ground, on nearby buildings and in cars.
If a threat was real, a number of venues could be targets — anywhere there is a high density of people, such as tourist destinations, Kempfer said.