$900m security budget won't cover looming terrorist attack
Plan in place if threat level rises above 'medium'
 
Damian Inwood
The Province
 
Thursday, February 04, 2010
 
Bud Mercer, assistant RCMP commissioner and head of the Olympics
integrated security unit, says costs will go up if a terrorist
threat is perceived.
CREDIT: Jenelle Schneider, PNG
Bud Mercer, assistant RCMP commissioner and head of the Olympics
integrated security unit, says costs will go up if a terrorist
threat is perceived.
 
The $900 million set aside for Olympic security won't be enough if
the threat of a terrorist attack rises above "medium," says the
RCMP's head of 2010 security.
 
"Obviously, if the threat level changed, we'd have to regroup and
put Plan B in place," Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer, head of the
Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, said Wednesday.
 
"And if that were to happen, the costs would go up. Based on today's
environment, unless there's a change either domestically or
internationally, I would suggest we are able to stay within the $900
million."
 
Mercer couldn't say how much the bill could rise, but said that
there are about 1,000 police officers on standby across the country
who are ready to go.
 
"If it became a sustained response, we'd start bringing people in
from across the country," he said.
 
Mercer said the Canadian Forces would also increase their presence.
 
The $900-million tab covers 4,300 RCMP and 1,700 police officers
from 118 departments across the country, as well as 4,500 Canadian
Forces personnel.
 
Mercer said there is currently no known threat to the Olympics and
the threat level is considered "low."
 
"We have planned at a 'medium' threat level in a very flexible plan
that allows us to ramp up very quickly should the threat level
change -- or, likewise, idle back if it stays where it is today," he
said.
 
Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile, commander of Joint Task Force Games, said
that the military is capable of a "surge through the full spectrum
of the security requirement."
 
He, too, was unable to say how much extra the effort would cost.
 
dinwood@theprovince.com

Damian Inwood The Province