Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ concerts cost Toronto Police about $1.9 million

Remember Taylor Swift’s police motorcades while she performed her six-show series in Toronto last month? Toronto police revealed on Thursday that the popstar’s sold-out performances, including her motorcade, cost them about $1.9 million.

Toronto Police Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue equated the cost per concert to what it takes to police a Toronto Raptors playoff game.

For a few days in mid-November, downtown Toronto shimmered with throngs of Swifties in bejeweled outfits to watch the singer-songwriter perform. Met with some skepticism, the “All Too Well” singer was escorted by a police motorcade along the Gardiner Expressway as she made her way to the Rogers Centre.

Officers would patrol the decorated arena, handing friendship bracelets to fans in the downtown core, and set up a command centre to manage crowds as well as respond to service calls during the performances.

“Our police presence was highly visible and vigilant surrounding the Rogers Centre and the surrounding area, and we received many compliments on social media about the professionalism and positivity of our officers,” Pogue said.

Pogue told the board the “primary focus” of the service’s security planning was to protect the 282,000 concertgoers, and the thousands others who visited the city to celebrate the Eras Tour.

“In policing, crowds like these represent a massive ‘soft target’ and our deployment strategy contained sufficient personnel and measures to mitigate the risk,” Pogue said. Months before her Toronto concerts, the three concerts slated in Vienna were cancelled due to a foiled terror plot.

The deputy chief noted the incredible energy that pulsed throughout the city then, saying it was “really inspiring to engage directly with so many women and girls.” Pogue concluded it would be an opportunity for recruitment, particularly for women.

“With this goal in mind, I invited 25 women members to engage with Swift fans and talk about career opportunities for women at the Toronto Police Service,” Pogue said.