Vancouver's FIFA security force reached 1,300 police per match

Vancouver deployed up to 1,300 police officers on each of the seven FIFA World Cup match days, marking the largest single deployment in the city's history and surpassing security for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The officers came primarily from the Vancouver Police Department and were bolstered by the RCMP, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, Delta Police Department, and police services from Calgary and Edmonton. They focused on BC Place Stadium, the Granville entertainment district, the fan festival at Hastings Park, Jack Poole Plaza, and team training sites in Killarney and at UBC.

"From a safety and security perspective, my final thoughts are: mission accomplished," said VPD Deputy Chief Constable Don Chapman, who co-led the Integrated Safety and Security Unit for the tournament. "Everything was safe, secure, and inviting. I believe that here in Vancouver we demonstrated to the world not only how to host a major international event, but do so in a way that really reflects our values and our city."

The deployment was an extraordinary undertaking for a force of approximately 1,450 total sworn officers. Vancouver police flew 811 drone flights between June 11 and July 13, including 597 over fan zones and key venues. Officers detected 745 unauthorized drone flights in restricted airspace, identifying 45 operators and remotely jamming 40 drones. On Granville, police recorded 99 breach of the peace files and arrested 42 people on various charges.