Who Dat? Assistant police chief goes undercover as Saints fan

Assistant Police Chief Paul McDonagh might be a Seahawks fan, but he was dressed in Saints gear Monday night to help catch unruly fans in the act.

Wearing a New Orleans sweatshirt and a Louisiana State University baseball cap, McDonagh was among several Seattle police officers who went undercover as fans to spot unsportsmanlike conduct and put a stop to it.

“I’ve run into a couple of Saints fans and they’re obviously ecstatic that there’s a fellow Saint here,” said McDonagh, who read up on the team so he could be more convincing.

“I may have looked at a few things, but the big thing is everybody knows Drew Brees. He’s a good quarterback, so that’s a good starting point,” he told KIRO Radio near CenturyLink Field before Monday’s game, in which the Seahawks beat the Saints 34-7.

For a fraud, McDonagh played the role well.

“Who Dat?” he yelled as a Saints fan walked by.

McDonagh said the undercover officers don’t taunt fans, but do engage with those who make negative comments about opposing teams.

“My role out here tonight is to walk about and make sure all the people who come to the game can have a nice, safe experience,” he said. “Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the people here are great. We just want to make sure that those who might think about not being respectful think twice about it.”

The police department has run similar operations at home games throughout the season.