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Santa Clara PD & CA National Guard Decrease Response Time During Emergencies at San Francisco 49ers Games

Newsroom / Santa Clara PD & CA National Guard Decrease Response Time During Emergencies at San Francisco 49ers Games

In an era marked by increasingly complex security challenges and the need for well-coordinated responses, effective interagency collaboration has become paramount. Nowhere is this more evident than at large-scale events, where the safety and security of both personnel and attendees hinge on seamless communication and situational awareness. The San Francisco 49ers’ games, attended by 68,500 fans, present a unique set of challenges that require local, state, and federal agencies to converge their efforts. However, traditional communication methods often fall short — introducing critical gaps that demand innovative solutions.

The Challenge

“Our deployment at Levi’s Stadium is extremely dynamic; utilizing resources from within our own agency/city, as well as partnerships with the California Highway Patrol, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, California Alcohol Beverage Control, Amtrak Police, regional task forces, and more”, said Sgt. Williams of Santa Clara Police Department (SCPD).

 

With multiple agencies converging on the stadium, each employing distinct radio channels for exterior, interior, and tactical operations, the complexity of maintaining effective interagency communication is further amplified. The operational environment within the stadium, often characterized by high noise levels and rapidly changing situations, poses an additional challenge. Compounded by the inherent chaos of large-scale events, officers’ radios are frequently inadvertently switched to the wrong channel, prohibiting any communications. Additionally, transmitting on the incorrect channel exacerbates the difficulties in tracking precise locations and hinders the command center’s ability to task and dispatch swiftly.

 

Sgt. Williams continued, “Officers have called for emergency assistance (Code 3 fills) on 7 occasions this season. The radio transmissions are brief — lacking exact details on officers’ location or unreadable due to the background noise common when operating in a heavily populated stadium. Somewear’s technology has empowered the dispatch center to immediately pinpoint the resources nearest the incident and deploy them within seconds.”

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The radio transmissions are brief, lacking exact details on their location, or unreadable due to the background noise common when operating in a heavily populated stadium. Somewear’s technology has empowered the dispatch center to immediately pinpoint the resources nearest the incident and deploy them within seconds.

The Solution

The implementation of Somewear’s Hotspot, coupled with Somewear Grid’s command and control (C2) map interface, revolutionizes the way Incident Commanders approach situational awareness and resource deployment. In real-time, the Hotspot provides precise tracking of interagency personnel and assets, offering an unprecedented level of visibility into their locations and movements. This allows Incident Commanders to maintain a comprehensive overview of resource deployment and enables them to identify any gaps and promptly address them.

 

Somewear Grid’s map interface capabilities are pivotal in amplifying the Incident Commanders’ situational awareness. Commanders can overlay geospatial files (e.g. KMZ/KML) containing stadium details and landmarks, enhancing navigation in the high-intensity stadium environment, aiding personnel in making swift and informed decisions.

Moreover, Somewear’s SmartRouting™ that detects network congestion and intelligently routes data through the most effective medium— cell, wifi, satellite—ensures uninterrupted situational awareness. The graceful degradation of networking layers reduces officers’ cognitive load and allows them to focus on the dynamic operation.

 

This level of sophistication in mapping not only improved response times but also heightened overall security and operational efficiency during these high-profile events. The reliability of Somewear’s technology ensures officer safety across agencies and allows teams to respond to an emergency in a matter of seconds.

 

As SCPD continues to work toward Super Bowl 60 in February of 2026 and FIFA World Cup in JuneJuly of 2026, they recognize that their deployments will only become more dynamic and complex, and Somewear’s technology will empower them to better manage the events.

The Results

Products

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Node

MESH & SATELLITE

An encrypted multi-network solution, combining the efficiency of mesh radios and resilience of satellite communication with SmartBackhaul™ technology.

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Global Hotspot

SATELLITE

An encrypted, resilient satellite solution that integrates into any kit. Ideal for asset tracking and for isolated personnel who require SATCOM to stay connected.

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Grid

Web, iOS, Android, ATAK

Establish situational awareness that encompasses all assets and empower your team, from operator to command, to maintain complete control of missions.

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