Newtown Twp. Sending Police Officers To Assist With Super Bowl Parade

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Six Newtown Township police officers will be making the trip to Broad Street in Philadelphia on Friday to assist the city as it celebrates the Eagles' decisive Super Bowl win and the return of the Lombardi Trophy to the City of Brotherly Love and the Delaware Valley.

According to Captain Jason Harris, four members of the township's motorcycle unit and two members of its Major Incident Response Team (MIRT) will be assisting the city's police department with crowd control and escorts during Friday's Super Bowl Parade, which is expected to draw a million people into the city to cheer on the winning Birds.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. Friday at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, officials said. It will then head north on Broad, go around Philadelphia City Hall and LOVE Park, down the Ben Franklin Parkway, and end at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Eagles players and coaches will be riding on open-air buses as fans cheer them on.

Harris said the motorcycle officers will assist as needed, performing traffic control or escorts along the parade route, while its MIRT officers will focus on crowd control and (historically) have been paired with city police to act as a force multiplier.

The township's motorcycle unit is part of a larger county-based response team that routinely trains for and participates together in larger-scale events such as an escort of a dignitary, funeral services, or special events. In this case, Harris said Philadelphia requested the Bucks County Motorcycle Unit as well as MIRT to assist.

"We in law enforcement are always willing to assist when we can, because no single department can handle all emergencies themselves," said Harris. "Even larger departments such as Philadelphia rely on mutual aid on a routine basis and it's hard to ask for help when you aren’t willing to give it. That being said, the ability to participate in special events such as this is a great opportunity that builds and solidifies relationships between emergency services."

Harris said going into Friday's event, officers are optimistically "excited" for the opportunity to be part of such a historic sports event. "However," he added, "with all of the unknowns of the world we police, the emotion is more defined at the completion. It's a long day and you try to plan for anything that could go wrong ... which can be exhausting in and of itself."

According to Chief John Hearn, the department will be reimbursed by the city for time spent working the parade.

Officials said more than one million people are expected to attend the parade and ceremony. Those planning to attend the parade and ceremony are urged to do so safely.

City officials reiterated that poles should not be climbed and to stay hydrated with something other than alcohol. Friday's weather is expected to be cold, so fans should dress in warm clothing while being prepared to be outside for several hours.