Indy 500 security plan helps ABQ officials prepare for Balloon Fiesta

The emergency management director for Bernalillo County, assistant emergency manager, and the fire chief were invited to the event. A detective with APD also joined them.

Their goal was to gain skills and new equipment that can be used for security at the Balloon Fiesta, like remote sensors. 

"We were looking at different types of equipment that would detect explosives, dirty bombs, look at the biological chemical type of weapons,” said Richard Clark, the Emergency Management Director, during a FaceTime interview.

The new equipment is funded by the US government, and Clark says they look forward to using it just in time for Balloon Fiesta this year.

"The bad guy out there only has to get it right once," Clark said. "We have to get it right all the time, because of the fact that we're protecting the citizens." 

Last year, Clark said they helped set up security at the Super Bowl and implemented what they learned at the Balloon Fiesta.

He said Indianapolis law enforcement will visit Albuquerque during the Balloon Fiesta to see what officials can improve on.