SAN DIEGO — Comic-Con is expected to bring 130,000 people this year to the downtown area.
All it takes to get inside Comic-Con is a badge, verified by scanners at the entrances to the San Diego Convention Center. Attendees do not have to pass through metal detectors or have their backpack searched to get inside Comic-Con.
Some Comic-Con goers didn't seem to mind. “I have to say, every time I've been here, I felt very safe,” one man told CBS 8.
Others had safety concerns about backpacks not being searched. “As a mother, I find it very concerning that there's not more security checking people's bags, especially with all the costumes. Somebody could very easily sneak in a weapon,” said another attendee.
There is a police presence outside the convention center, including surveillance cameras. San Diego Police fly a drone as an eye in the sky to watch the very large crowd.
“It is concerning. I understand that there's thousands and thousands of people that come every day,” said another Comic-Con goer.
Attendees carrying fake weapons as part of their costumes are required to get them checked at a security booth, but not until they are already inside the Convention Center.
A Comic-Con spokesperson emailed CBS 8 the following statement:
“We do not comment on specifics of security. I can say we do work with a variety of law enforcement organizations as well as private security companies."
Antoine Bennett is a manager with one of Comic-Con’s private security firms, EES. “We have plenty of surveillance everywhere in the facility. We also have undercover military. We have undercover police officers. We are even ready for a bomb threat, any kind of terrorist threat,” said Bennett.
Asked if security officers have ever recovered a gun or a knife from a Comic-Con attendee, Bennett responded, “We’ve had to take care of threats before. Yes. I'm not going to say what kind of threats, but we have taken care of all threats.”
CBS 8 has been reporting on security measures at the convention. Comic-Con runs through Sunday at the Convention Center.
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