Security Training Needed for London Olympic Games

A Senior Officer with the Metropolitan Police has urged for training and development to commence from 2008, to ensure that the level of security required for the London Olympics in 2012 is fully implemented by then.

Tarique Ghaffur, Met Assistant Commissioner, was speaking at the recent IFSEC Exhibition in Birmingham, organised by the British Security Industry Association, during which he warned that, without sufficient financial backing to bolster the shortfall in security skills, the Police would be unable to "catch up".

Mr Ghaffur is chiefly responsible for the policing in place at the London Olympics.

During his speech, Mr Ghaffur said that "If the skills and technology building doesn't start next year, we will run out of time. I have made a significant bid for budget to start training next year, and we have to do so or we won't be able to catch up."

Mr Ghaffur stated that closer collaborations with the private security sector were paramount for the Olympics, disclosing that talks had already commenced between the force and external security bodies in order to form a group to survey the security issues an event of this magnitude would create. He also focused on the 'protective services' component of security at the Olympic Games - including mounted patrols and firearms - highlighting how these skills have been neglected within the Police.

Regarding these, Mr Ghaffur stressed the importance of again uniting with external firms to combat the shortfall.

Among the principal issues for security at the London Olympics outlined by Mr Ghaffur were the need to trial the proposed measures at events prior to the Games, and the crucial role CCTV will play. He also pinpointed how, with the correct security procedures in place in areas such as airports and ferry terminals, the Olympics could be handled in a different way.

Detailing this last factor, Mr Ghaffur stated: "The security element of the Olympics has to start with the ticket. If you can do that well, you can link it to border control, to transport, to accommodation and on to the venue itself.

"And if you do that covertly, you can then have a very light touch when it comes to policing the venue. We are still at an early stage, and I don't want to miss that opportunity to use all of those things - ticketing, border control, transport and so on - as part of the Olympic security operation".

Beijing Olympics Security Unit Established

A senior officer from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has confirmed that a dedicated unit has been established to tackle the problem of security at next year’s Olympic Games. The details of this were confirmed during a briefing, held yesterday, which focused on the PLA’s security plan for the Beijing Olympics. The briefing was attended by 65 defence attaches, who represented 54 nations.

The officer, Tian Yixiang, stated that the security unit comprises members of China’s air force, army and navy, who will work together at the event. He added that a specialised training program for all those involved has been completed.

Mr Yixiang detailed how the PLA security unit would be tasked primarily with managing 21st century threats such as potential terror attacks of a nuclear or biochemical nature. Regarding this first feature, he stated "It is international practice for military forces to participate in security for Olympic Games. The PLA has completed emergency plans for non-traditional threats.”

Commenting on the projected scale of the games’ security network, Mr Yixiang added: "The equipment and defence abilities of the PLA security unit for the Beijing Olympics will exceed those in the Athens Games."

In line with the detailed security blueprint for the Olympics, the PLA unit’s responsibilities will include protecting the air above China’s relevant stadiums and arenas, and also ensuring the security of coastal venues. The unit will work in tandem with armed forces and the police; assisting with the prevention of terrorist attacks, plus aiding with the consequent rescue missions in the aftermath of any such event.

Additionally, the PLA security unit will take responsibility for the management of China’s borders; again, to halt the threat of terrorism entering the country while the Beijing Olympics are in progress.

As per Mr Yixiang, a large number of the security unit’s members would stay on either aerial or seaborne alert. A further possible area of patrol could be Hong Kong’s horse arena, but this is subject to a request, yet to be made, by the island’s Special Administrative Region government.

Source - Security International's Far East Correspondent

Beijing Olympic Games: Security Update

The Chinese media, focusing on the preparations for next year’s Olympic Games, has reported that the security element of the global event will include the installation of thousands of CCTV cameras. The move is part of a wide effort to eliminate disruptive behaviour among fans, and the surveillance cameras to be deployed were yesterday trialled in a football match held between Barcelona and local stars Beijing Guo’an. According to the Beijing Youth Daily, a police officer was positioned on every level of the stadium, recording the fans’ actions in the process.

One paper in particular, the Beijing News, said that 2,000 cameras are set to be installed in the Chaoyong district – a key Olympic site - within the next six or so months. These will compliment and augment the large numbers of CCTV devices already in situ. These, at present, earn their keep from monitoring traffic and goings-on in public places, including Beijing’s focal Tiananmen Square. Other security measures, the newspaper said, were also set to be implemented. These include resourcing site-patrol duties out to 70,000 volunteers.

In respect of the 2008 Olympic Games, Zhou Yongkang, the Public Security Minister and China’s most prominent policeman, urged that any perceived threat to the event be strictly guarded against, with the warning that “hostile forces” would be struck hard. Amongst the key threats covered by his statement, he said, were “ethnic splitism, religious extremism” and those related to both terrorism and the controversial group Falun Gong.

A recent statement was made by the Beijing Olympic Organisation Committee’s President, Liu Qi. He urged that residents around the Olympic sites-to-be adopt certain measures of etiquette in order to promote a sparkling cultural image. Speaking to the 1,600 people in attendance at a rally, Mr Qi said: "Everybody should cultivate good habits from now on”. He added: "Everybody should follow and protect public order, no matter if you are driving or walking. Clean words, clean environment and clean air. Clean up bad habits such as spitting, throwing rubbish and so on."

The Olympic Games is expected to encourage approximately 550,000 visitors from overseas, alongside an estimated 22,000 representatives of the media. In deference of the huge exposure China will receive while the games are in progress, officials have already started a drive to promote cleanliness and formality amongst Beijing’s residents. Amongst the areas targeted are spitting, bad driving and swearing.

Source – Security International’s Far East Correspondent

SHANGHAI - China wants the world to see its capital as the place where its imperial past and bright future come together to provide a picture of a proud nation ready to retake its place in the world.

There is a danger, however, that what will actually be on display at next month's Olympics is Fortress Beijing.

Security for any Olympiad is tight, with the millions of spectators, saturation media coverage and presence of world leaders a magnet for anyone looking for global attention.

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Paramilitary policemen stand in front of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, at the Olympic Green in Beijing, July 18.

Joe Chan/Reuters

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Interpol chief Ronald Noble underlined the danger when he warned the Chinese this spring: "We must be prepared for the possibility that al-Qaida or some other terrorist group will attempt to launch a deadly terrorist attack at these Olympics."

It is a sobering thought, but surely far from the minds of the drivers caught unaware this week when officials launched the latest phase of their Olympic "Defence Line" plan. Traffic was backed up for two kilometres on expressways and national highways leading into Beijing city centre as every car was thoroughly searched. It was a 20-minute job for each vehicle.

This is the second layer of a security plan that already includes hundreds of checkpoints on every road leading into the capital from Hebei, the neighbouring province that hugs Beijing.

The third phase, which will be implemented soon, calls for security checkpoints on major downtown streets.

The cost of securing the XXlX Olympiad is estimated at close to $50 million.

But that doesn't take into account the 100,000 soldiers from the People's Liberation Army that China is using as its first line of defence around the capital and at Olympic venues. Nor does it include the costs for the 100,000 ordinary police and paramilitary police or the 60,000 civilian volunteers - mostly aging members of the Communist-era Neighbourhood Committees - who will be their eyes and ears around the city for the Games.

External terror groups are just one aspect of the security threat China has identified leading up to the Games. It has also singled out several internal groups it says may try to disrupt the Olympics. Topping the list are Tibetan and Tibetan-exile groups, and Uighurs - members of the predominately Muslim minority population that is centred in the remote Xinjiang region and still not reconciled to 60 years of Chinese rule. The outlawed group Falun Gong is undoubtedly near the top of China's blacklist, too, although it is rarely mentioned publicly.

Officials deny singling them out, but many human rights advocacy groups are claiming the crackdown on dissidents this year is also part of China's security plan for the Games.

At all costs, Tiananmen Square will not be repeated while the world looks on.

Sophie Richardson, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said that leading up to the Games, "we have witnessed a systematic effort to silence, suppress and repress Chinese citizens who are trying to push the government into greater respect for fundamental rights."

The Chinese consulted widely with security forces around the world and worked closely with Interpol to hone their security plan.

Some of the measures they settled on are highly visible. A battery of surface-to-air missiles has been set up just a few kilometres from the iconic Bird's Nest stadium and the bubble-wrapped "Water Cube" - the National Aquatics Centre.

Starting this weekend, passengers entering Beijing Capital Airport will have to go through a security check just to get in the building and then repeat it after check-in.

On the Beijing subway, passengers are already being sniffed for explosives by trained dogs and police are spot-checking purses, briefcases and backpacks.

Less visible are measures such as the passport checks at major airports across China that link to Interpol's data base of "more than 14 million stolen and lost travel documents." The Chinese aren't advertising the link, but Interpol's Noble revealed last spring that he was helping China set it up.

Neither do the Chinese talk about the estimated 265,000 security cameras they have mounted - unblinking eyes that watch over the city and Games sites. If you look carefully at the tall light standards on the vast Olympic Green you can see how the spy cameras are neatly worked into the sleek design. Some have face-recognition technology programmed into them. Most people will never notice them, but be assured that wherever you are in Beijing, someone is watching.

The tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are another feat of invisible security. Each one has a Radio Frequency Identification chip embedded in it. The minuscule chip can be read like a bar code and contains a picture, the holder's name, address, passport number, telephone and e-mail.

Anyone who wants to travel by bus or train to the capital now has to produce identification. If you want to mail a parcel to Beijing, or to any of the five other Olympic venues on the mainland, starting this weekend you have to produce ID, too, plus open the package for inspection.

Organizers appear to be sensitive to the fact "Fortress Beijing" is not the image they want to show to the world.

The official news agency Xinhua reported this week that Zhou Yongkang, China's top security official, instructed police officers: "During the Olympics security work, we should not only stick to strictness and details, but also ensure civilized and convenient inspections for people."

It's a tall order. Olympic organizers launched a campaign this week to encourage staff, volunteers and security to wear a smile whenever they encounter visitors. That may help ease the tension of delays, but, as always, the secret weapon for the Chinese will likely be manpower.

When the road searches became too annoying this week, officials immediately pledged more checkpoints with more personnel to speed things up.

It's a simple solution in a country of 1.3 billion and has already smoothed out the frayed tempers of visitors arriving at the Beijing airport. More passport officers were recruited to process visitors faster. Despite the new layers of security, passengers are reporting now that they are through to the luggage carousel in mere minutes.