Kansas City police boot up new command-post bus and drones, to keep FIFA World Cup safe

As preparations ramp up for this year’s FIFA World Cup, the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department is putting communications technology and mobile command infrastructure at the center of its security strategy. The city is scheduled to host six matches this summer, including four group stage games and a quarterfinal, at Arrowhead Stadium.

At the heart of the department’s approach is a recently deployed command post bus, a mobile operations center designed to support real-time decision-making during matches and surrounding events.

Phil DiMartino, a sergeant in KCPD’s media unit, said the bus will function as a centralized communications hub, allowing law enforcement and partner agencies to coordinate intelligence, monitor activity and direct resources in the field.

“This bus is a state-of-the-art command center and will keep our community safe long after the final whistle,” he wrote in an email.

The bus, which cost $2.1 million and took roughly 20 months to build, using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, is equipped with seven fixed cameras and one motorized camera. It also has two tethered drones, which can stay on the bus continuously with no battery changes and have both night and thermal capabilities, according to Captain Jacob Becchina, another spokesperson for the police department.

“With the technology that is incorporated into the vehicle, it is the most technologically advanced vehicle they have built,” Becchina wrote in an email referencing the manufacturer, Farber Specialty Vehicles, which built the vehicle from the “ground up.”

DiMartino said the department plans to use drone mitigation technology, including software that enables officers to quickly identify unauthorized drones and take action to ground them as a “last ditch” effort. 

“Many drone users to do not pose a threat but do not realize the rules of drone operations,” he explained. “Airspace over FIFA activities will be restricted so any hobbyist drone operators should leave them at home during events.”

DiMartino said KCPD has been running regular tabletop exercises and operational planning sessions for months, testing how these tools integrate into broader response strategies. He said the goal is to ensure that information flows seamlessly between agencies, whether from a command post bus, an operations center or personnel on the ground.

“Given the global nature of the tournament, KCPD is coordinating closely with numerous partners. This includes federal agencies, surrounding states, and regional law enforcement partners who are expected to provide mutual aid during the event,” DiMartino said, adding that the department is also coordinating in real time with other World Cup host cities, creating a network for sharing intelligence and situational updates during match days.

Texas, which is set to host several World Cup games in Houston and Dallas, this week joined Kansas City in investing in public safety tools. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday announced that the Governor’s Public Safety Office has awarded $116 million in grants to the City of Houston and the North Central Texas Council of Governments “to provide additional safety personnel, equipment, and other public safety items to support security measures associated with FIFA World Cup event.”

“These public safety grants will help ensure that travelers visiting and traveling throughout Texas can enjoy our great state safely, will bolster Texas’ efforts to combat crime, and help prevent potential acts of violence,” Abbott said in a press release.