The Division of Homeland Safety has designated the upcoming funeral and memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a Particular Occasion Evaluation Score (SEAR) Degree 1 occasion, a DHS official advised ABC Information.
The funeral could have the identical stage of safety because the Tremendous Bowl or the Boston Marathon.
SEAR 1 occasions are “reserved for occasions of the very best nationwide significance and allow the federal authorities to offer the total vary of regulation enforcement and safety sources essential to assist native officers in making certain a protected and profitable occasion,” in response to a DHS official.
President Donald Trump and different members of the cupboard are anticipated to attend the service at State Farm Stadium, house of the Arizona Cardinals, on Sunday.
William Mack, the Secret Service particular agent in control of the Phoenix area workplace, stated in a press release that the Secret Service has been designated because the federal coordinator for the funeral.
“Our groups are already on the bottom in Phoenix and Glendale, working side-by-side with state, native, and federal companions,” Mack stated. “Collectively, we’re totally dedicated to making sure that these solemn occasions obtain the great safety and assist they require.”
A few of these native cops embody officers from the Glendale, Arizona, police division.
Objects are displayed within the makeshift memorial for Charlie Kirk exterior the headquarters of Turning Level USA on September 17, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures
The division is navigating a heightened safety menace amid expectations of a large crowd at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday.
“We is not going to be shocked if greater than 100,000 folks present up,” stated Jose Santiago, public data officer for the Glendale Police Division.
He says they count on folks to journey in from throughout the nation and start lining up for the first-come, first-served service by 2 a.m. on Sunday, if not earlier than. The parking zone opens at 7:00 a.m., native time. Tenting within the space is not going to be allowed.
“Officers might be anyplace the attention can see, and in locations it could actually’t,” stated Santiago, referring to plane, many drones within the air and helicopters on the prepared.
The Division of Public Security and Secret Service might be operating the present inside State Farm Stadium.
Derek Mayer, the previous assistant particular agent in control of the Secret Service’s Chicago area workplace, who oversaw large-scale occasions, advised ABC Information the designation permits for a “entire of presidency method.”
“DHS commonly declares occasions across the nation as SEAR-level to make sure the security of these in attendance,” Mayer, now the chief safety officer and vp of govt safety at P4 stated.
“This designation permits for a ‘entire of presidency’ method, which suggests many alternative native, state and federal businesses will provide sources and manpower to ensure further safety measures are in place. With President Trump and lots of different high-profile people anticipated to attend, together with the quantity of public consideration targeted on the funeral, it is sensible for DHS to declare this as a SEAR occasion,” Mayer added.
The funeral is open to the general public, however those that plan to attend are requested to register with Turning Level USA.
