New Year's festivities are ramping up in New Orleans, and local authorities are working hard to make sure everything takes place as safely as possible.
While the increased police and National Guard presence is the most visible sight of stepped up security downtown, there's another side to the security operation that you won't see.
"There is a lot of behind-the-scenes activity, particularly with the State Fusion Center and federal intelligence," New Orleans emergency preparedness director Collin Arnold said. "There will be a command center set up in addition to our emergency operations center where we will be able to monitor cameras."
According to Arnold, local and state authorities will monitor Project NOLA's crime cameras for any nefarious activity in the French Quarter. Arnold says the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives are also assisting with the New Year security efforts.
"Although the federal government did not upgrade our SEAR--our special event rating--from a three to a two or a one as we requested, we do have our local federal presence making themselves available to us," Arnold said. "The FBI will have a command post at their office to really just provide intelligence."
Arnold says the intelligence provided to him so far has been good news.
"As of (Wednesday) morning, there is no specific or credible threat to the city for any reason," Arnold said.