Sporting Kansas City's Compass Minerals National Performance Center in Kansas City, Kansas, hosted Argentina's first training session on Monday evening. The team, led by global soccer superstar Lionel Messi, arrived in Kansas City on Sunday and wasted little time getting to work. The scene surrounding the facility underscored the magnitude of the moment, with patrol officers and members of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department's Special Operations Unit lining the area. Multiple BearCat armored vehicles were deployed, state troopers were on site, and air support monitored from above as Argentina was escorted to practice. For the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD), the arrival of the defending World Champions marks the beginning of a years-long plan coming to life. "Yesterday afternoon it all kicked off and our plan went into action and so we're operating on our full plan," said Kansas City, Kansas Police Chief Karl Oakman. Argentina enters the tournament chasing history, with only two nations having successfully defended a World Cup title. The South American powerhouse is hoping to become the third. Helping ensure that journey begins safely in Kansas City is KCKPD, which has been assigned some of the most significant security responsibilities of the tournament. The department serves as the exclusive escort agency for the Argentine national team while they are in the metro. Officers are also responsible for securing the Compass Minerals training facility, where Argentina will practice, as well as Children's Mercy Park, where visiting teams playing at Arrowhead will train. Additionally, KCKPD's drone detection unit will play a key role during Fan Fest activities and World Cup matches, helping monitor and protect large crowds expected throughout the tournament. Despite the global attention and enormous expectations surrounding the event, Oakman says preparation has eliminated any added pressure. "Any event we do is always pressure we're used to it," Oakman said. "The key is you prepare. If you don't prepare, there's pressure. We always prepare, then we prepare, then we prepare more, then we overprepare. So we're prepared to handle anyone and any team." While officials acknowledge an event of this scale can strain resources, Oakman says his department views the World Cup as an opportunity to showcase its capabilities and learn from one of the world's biggest sporting events. "It's just exciting and different and the big thing – for police departments we always use these opportunities to learn to see what we can do better next time," Oakman said. Oakman, who also serves on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, told FOX4 there have been no credible threats to any World Cup-related events in the Kansas City metro to this point. As excitement builds around the arrival of the defending champions, police are reminding fans that the event will be a safe and enjoyable experience for all.