2010-06-07
By KEVIN CONNOR
Members of the Integrated Security Unit from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics are sharing lessons learned with security teams preparing for the G20, the World Conference on Disaster Management heard on Monday.
“Fifty of our commanders are here and have been assisting in the planning of the air and marine integration. We have people on the ground,” said RCMP Supt. Kevin deBruyckere, the operational support officer with the Integrated Security Unit of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, which was the largest security operation in Canadian history.
“We were up until this month (with Toronto’s G20 Summit),” he said.
deBruyckere said while the two events have some similarities, it is like comparing apples and oranges.
At the Olympics, security checked people entering venues while at G20, security will keep people out of the restricted area.
“The security planning is for two different events. Our focus was on sport and the G20 focus is protecting international protected persons,” deBruyckere said.
“We had internationally protected persons such a the U.S. Vice President, but there will be a much different level of security here (at G20). These are world leaders who get threats on a daily basis,” deBruyckere said.
“Some of the same principles we used will apply to the G20,” he said.
“You secure the perimeter, do a security sweep and control access. Starting (Monday) they are putting up the fences” around the restricted areas surrounding the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, deBruyckere said.
The Olympics did have protestors, such as homeless groups, Native groups and immigration groups, but the only riot was caused by an anti-poverty group.
“We made 11 arrests, but it got little media attention. Our response was supported by the community and protest groups who wanted to get their message out peacefully,” deBruyckere said.
“Hopefully this won’t happen here down the road,” he said.
One similarity between the two events is that Contemporary Security Canada, a private security company used at the Olympics, will also handle the G20.
The cost for security at the numerous Olympic venues is expected to be in the ball park of $833 million, compared to the $1 billion price tag for the G20.
The Olympics had police officers from all over Canada providing security.
Security at the G20 is in the hands of the RCMP, OPP, Toronto Police Services, Peel Regional Police and the Canadian Forces. “We were able to have a safe secure games through a high level of integration,” deBruyckere said.
This is the 20th year of the conference with 1,400 delegates from 39 countries in attendance.
“We have been overwhelmed with disasters like oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and volcano eruption in Iceland. There was the attempt to set off a bomb in Times Square and the G20 is coming to Toronto. We need to be educated and prepared for the unexpected,” said Chuck Wright, director of the conference.