An in-depth look at the communications strategy for the Santa Clara

Police Department in handling large-scale events at Levi’s Stadium.

Gregory Deger - Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership

LEPS-510: Communication Skill for Law Enforcement Leaders
Dr. Erik Fritsvold – December 12, 2020
INTRODUCTION TO STADIUM
EVENT COMMUNICATION
CONSIDERATIONS
▪ The Santa Clara Police Department’s
Homeland Security and Special Events unit
(HSSE) coordinates and plans the law
enforcement and site protection response
for large-scale events at Levi’s Stadium.

▪ History of Levi’s Stadium and types of

events hosted.

▪ Multiple methods of communication

utilized during all phases of operational
planning (pre, during, and post-event)
- Planning and coordination-centric communications in this
stage

- Understanding the relationship between City Hall and Levi’s

Stadium

- All methods of communication utilized

▪ Electronic announcements via Gameday
Staffing system to advertise event overtime
shifts.

▪ Relationship building with individual Santa

Clara PD employees. Working a stadium event
is not mandatory, but it IS encouraged.

▪ Pre-event HSSE meeting.

▪ Continuous correspondence as issues arise.

▪ Pre-event meetings are conducted with Stadium Operations VIPs, mostly security and heads of departments for
stadium operations including:
▪ Engineering
▪ Sales
▪ Guest services
▪ Stadium logistics
▪ Audio visual department

▪ Agencies and entities outside of Santa Clara PD are vital to the success of events and must be included in
planning efforts. On any given event, these can include:
- Fire Department - County Sheriff’s Office
- California Highway Patrol - City Public Works
- Civilian Traffic Control - SCPD Reserve officers
- Military assets (EOD and CRBN) - County Health officials
- FBI - NCRIC
- Valley Transit Authority - Amtrak Police
▪ Neighborhood protection
▪ Youth Soccer Park considerations

▪ Impact on businesses/commuters

▪ Businesses useful to the deployment

▪ Hilton
▪ Hyatt
▪ Convention Center
▪ Implementing the plan

▪ “Putting out fires”

▪ It’s not over, until it’s over (traffic plan and

demobilization)
• Document dissemination

• Supervisory roles

• Open lines of communication up

and down the chain of command
▪ “Double-badgers”

▪ Briefings (interior and exterior)

▪ Communication devices (radio, phone, etc.)

▪ Outside influences, handling VIPs

COMMUNICATING WITH
THE PUBLIC
- X2280
- Neighborhood Protection Detail
- Community-oriented policing and empathetic communication
POST-EVENT
COMMUNICATION
CONSIDERATIONS
▪ Debrief meetings

▪ Information sharing

▪ After action reports

▪ Follow-up investigations regarding

concerns/complaints
▪ Debrief meeting the day
following an event.

▪ After action reports.

▪ Assisting follow-up
investigations/detective
bureau
INTER-DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS

▪ Continuing the relationship building

▪ Conversations to address issues/make

improvements/continue desired
sustained practices
COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC
▪ Making residents/citizens feel like their needs are important and
were addressed

▪ Transparency

▪ Results not just words

“Effective communication
strategies must be coupled
with competency in all
communications mediums in
order to successfully
coordinate, plan, and execute
large-scale events at a stadium
such as Levi’s”
– L. Martin, Acting Captain Santa Clara PD -
Homeland Security and Special Events unit
▪ Agnes, M. (2016, April 3). How Law Enforcement Can Position Itself as the Source of Trust
and Credibility in a Crisis [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/TLgaQJPZEe4
▪ Deger, G. (2019, December 21). Event Action Plan – 49’ers v Rams. Santa Clara Police
Department – Homeland Security and Special Events unit
▪ Fitch, B. (2016). Law Enforcement Interpersonal Communication and Conflict
Management: The IMPACT Model. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications,
Inc.
▪ Lauer, K. (2020, July 28). San Francisco 49ers and Santa Clara feud over million-dollar
losses. San Jose Spotlight.
▪ Martin, L. (2020, December 9). Personal interview.
▪ McDowell, C. (2020, December 7). Personal interview.
▪ Patrick, W. (2020). LEPS 510 Module Presentation 2.1. LEPSL 510 - Communication Skill
for Law Enforcement Leaders.
▪ Patrick, W. (2020). LEPS 510 Module Presentation 3.1. LEPSL 510 - Communication Skill
for Law Enforcement Leaders.