The Saugeen Times

Olympic security is tight

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Mary Jane Salter at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Security at these Olympic Games is tight.

Patrol Boats everywhere along coastline

Sewer lids on the streets are bolted down and welded. At venues near the water the police boats are patrolling up and down. The helicopters can been seen flying over the city. Cameras are all over the place and on the trains. The one night coming back from a venue a group were openly drinking and having a good time. At the next stop the police came directly to that car they were on. That was our stop to get off. They are closing the Liquor Stores downtown early because of the drinking but all in all everyone is having a good time.

Police and security people are at every venue along with the ever present volunteers. At the Cross Country Skiing events the police are in the bushes too. On all roads to events there are police checks. You can see Police cars on the side of the roads everywhere.

Sewers are welded shut

The Police are from all around the country. We have seen PEI, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Mississauga, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Hamilton, Burlington, Toronto etc. I know there are over twenty some police from the Waterloo force but we have not come across them yet. The Police live on a cruise ship in the bay and they tell me it is two to a room.

The RCMP told me there are more police here from somewhere else than their whole force. We have heard that there are over 10,000 additional police in the city for the games.

At any venue where vehicles are sent in they go through tight security. There are sniffer dogs too. At any venue you go through an airport type of security. We have that down pat by now. There are express lines and lines for people with bags. You have to go early for events but that is the way the world is now.

When athletes are driven, there is GPS in the vehicle and they cannot divert to anywhere. It is the same on an airplane. If the passenger is on that flight and it is diverted you may not change flights. They must deliver you to your destination.

The problems with protesting in the beginning were professional protesters who go where ever people are, as do the people who pick pocket. On the nightly local news here, there has been a sign "Investigate 911" . Now the network has a huge Canadian flag that walks in front of it. However, we are a free country and it is allowed here.

All athletes, volunteers, press, police, service personnel and anyone else with general access to the Olympic venues must wear photo credentials and also had to have had a police security check. The venues themselves have added security perimeter fencing, barricades and obscuring banners as additional security measures.