The threat of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist sleeper cells has ensured the G-8 summit in Kananaskis will be the largest security operation Canada has ever seen.
The security stakes for all summits soared sky high the moment bin Laden's zealots crashed airliners into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon last September, killing almost 3,000 people.
Come June, thousands of police from Calgary, Alberta and across Canada will go on high alert.
Bolstered by Canadian soldiers, their mission will be to safeguard the leaders of the world's eight major industrialized democracies during 30 hours of meetings at Kananaskis Village, 100 kilometres west of Calgary.
"This will be the largest security operation in Canadian history," says Calgary Police Service Deputy Chief Rick Hanson.
The Sept. 11 attacks proved terrorists can and will target the heart of the world's most powerful democracies.
Hanson says the security risk of terror attacks "is low" for the summit.
However, security experts say al-Qaeda has plotted to attack every G-8 summit since 1996. Hanson says police and RCMP here are working "like crazy" to ensure no terror attacks occur.
Street violence at recent summits has also been on the rise, culminating in the shooting death of a protester at last year's G-8 summit in Genoa, Italy.
In the days leading to the June 26-27 event, a security gauntlet will turn the Kananaskis site into a virtual mountain fortress, with thousands of RCMP officers and Canadian Forces soldiers patrolling the ground and CF-18 fighter jets scouring the skies.
RCMP officers will be brought in from across Canada.
"This is going to be a drain on resources from coast to coast," says Robert Boyd, RCMP superintendent of the southern Alberta region.
"This is certainly the largest RCMP undertaking in Canadian history."
In Calgary, the security challenge will be just as great.
While world leaders will be sequestered at Kananaskis, thousands of minor delegates and journalists will call Calgary home during the summit.
"This is a logistical challenge," admits Hanson, noting police must protect visitors, ensure peaceful protests occur without incident and still provide regular policing for a city of almost one million people.
"We will be prepared for every eventuality."
Policing: Outside Forces Will Bolster City's Officers
Securing Calgary and Kananaskis will require a herculean manpower effort from city police and the RCMP.
Deputy Chief Hanson says 450 of Calgary's 1,420 police officers will be assigned to "specific" G-8 duties. These could include protecting journalists and minor summit delegates stationed in the city, securing key summit-related sites in Calgary and infiltrating and surveilling protest groups.
Hundreds of other officers will be involved in other summit duties such as crowd control and general security during any protests that may occur.
To cope with the enormous security challenge, the Calgary Police Service is boosting the ranks of its mountain bike and public-order divisions, as well as training those units in specific crowd control skills and philosophies.
Several months ago, Calgary police recognized a need for more officers during the summit and accelerated its recruiting and training efforts. The force will graduate 125 new officers in time for the meeting.
Calgary will also enlist the help of officers from 25 police departments in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
Hanson says city police will strive to maintain normal services throughout the city during the summit, but cautions some delays can be expected on non-emergency calls.
"We will have adequate coverage to handle day-to-day matters," he says.
"We can't lose sight of the fact . . . we're also policing a city of almost one million people. We've still got to provide that service."
The RCMP won't release specifics on the number of officers that will be deployed in Kananaskis.
Corp. Patrick Webb, the RCMP's G-8 spokesman, says an estimate of 4,000 officers isn't unreasonable but adds the numbers are fluid and constantly subject to change.
Canadian Forces soldiers will help secure the Kananaskis site but specific troop numbers haven't been revealed.
Recent changes to a federal anti-terrorism bill likely will not prevent soldiers from playing a support role during the summit but the RCMP will command the security operation in Kananaskis.
Security at the mountain resort will focus on two main primary potential threats.
G-8 organizers will not permit protesters to crash the summit and anyone who tries to infiltrate the security perimeter around the site will be arrested.
Behind the scenes, the RCMP is working closely with intelligence agencies around the world to help thwart any terrorist threat.
"Planning must also include the possibility of terrorist attack," says Webb.
"After Sept. 11, a terrorist attack . . . could happen anytime, anywhere. We have to be ready."
Summit organizers, preparing for possible mass arrests of activists, say they want to ensure detainees are treated fairly and processed swiftly during the summit.
The Calgary Corrections Centre will be the main detention area and while criminal courts in Alberta will be shut down for the G-8 to free up police officers and justice officials for summit duty, court space will be available to ensure speedy handling of cases.
"We must prepare for effective and appropriate handling and processing of multiple arrests in a manner that is humanitarian and consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," Hanson says.
Equipment: Security Items Would Fill a Warehouse
The Calgary Police Service spent $1.1 million to buy two armoured rescue vehicles to retrieve injured activists, bystanders, and even police officers trapped by violent protest situations during the G-8.
Deputy chief Rick Hanson says the force tried to borrow or rent the vehicles, but none was available in Canada.
"We did try to be prudent. We looked everywhere," Hanson says. "I wish we could have borrowed them, but those that had them weren't going to let them go."
Calgary has budgeted about $40 million for policing and equipment for the G-8.
Following the summit, all equipment purchased by Calgary police becomes property of the federal government. The force has the option to buy it back, likely at below market prices.
Police have already purchased hundreds of pairs of fire retardant coveralls, riot helmets, body armour, gas masks and tear gas canisters. The force has also purchased special surveillance equipment to spy on radical protesters and others.
Other equipment includes up to 850 two-way radios and 265 battery chargers in order to keep in constant contact during the summit.
A 90-square-metre room at police headquarters will be equipped with 105 wall plugs to create an around-the-clock battery charging centre for the summit.
The force is also boosting its 500-car fleet by an additional 100 vehicles to move officers around the city.
"The equipment (required to police the summit) would fill a 10,000 square-foot warehouse," Hanson says.
Logistics: That's a lot of lunch bags
The logistics of conducting G-8 security operations are staggeringly complicated.
Even a seemingly simple chore, such as feeding the troops, will require a massive mobilization of resources.
Security forces will require 3,600 cooked meals, 1,200 field food rations and 2,400 boxed lunches per day, deputy chief Rick Hanson says.
As well, many local officers will open their homes to visiting police forces to provide beds for the thousands of officers coming in for the summit.
Protected Sites: Many Locations Will Be Under Tight Security
The G-8 leaders may be in Kananaskis, but many Calgary locations also require tight security.
With up to 3,000 journalists and thousands of delegates staying in the city, protesters seeking media attention may focus on Calgary, deputy chief Rick Hanson says.
To ensure their safety, a security ring will be set up around the Telus Convention Centre, which will be the media centre during the summit.
Security will also be tight at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which will host some summit delegates, and a group of African leaders attending the summit to help unveil a development and aid package for Africa.
With delegates flying into Calgary International Airport, extra security will be needed at the airport and for motorcades shuttling G-8 visitors to and from various summit sites and events.
Other key areas which may require increased security include:
Calgary Police Insp. Al Redford, a G-8 security spokesman, says police do not intend to close or cordon off areas downtown but says Calgarians will still likely feel the impact of the summit.
"There's no question there will be some disruption in daily life and business," Redford says. "Our goal is to keep that to a minimum . . . by putting up (security measures) last minute and ripping them down as fast as we can."
Securing Airspace: No-fly zone, CF-18s Will Safeguard Skies
The terrorist attacks on America revealed how crucial it will be to secure the skies over Kananaskis and Calgary during the summit.
Ottawa recently announced an 150-kilometre no-fly zone centred over Kananaskis from June 25 to 28.
The no-fly zone will extend into British Columbia north to Golden, south to Invermere, and west to the Selkirk Mountains. It will extend east to Springbank, on the outskirts of Calgary.
Calgary International Airport will remain open but security officials say travellers should expect delays.
"What we've done is establish a zone that is as small as possible and still is able to do the job, security wise, for any air threats," says Corp. Patrick Webb, the RCMP's G-8 spokesman.
Canadian Forces CF-18 fighter jets will patrol and enforce the no-fly zone during the event.
Some flights, such as emergency STARS airlifts, will be permitted in the no-fly zone and there will be steady air traffic to and from the summit site. Webb wouldn't specify what that air traffic in the no-fly zone will consist of.
"Any traffic in there will be there for a reason," he says.
PROTESTERS
Police vow 'softer approach' with protesters
Security officials in Calgary are bracing for public demonstrations during the summit.
While several peaceful marches and meetings are planned, police are wary of people who might try to use the event as a forum for violence.
"People are going to protest," Hanson says. "The real question . . . is how many are going to be here?"
Protesters at previous world summits have accused police of brutality and security overkill, by dispersing crowds with rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons.
Insp. Al Redford says city police plan a "softer approach" to security by shunning body armour and gas masks unless absolutely necessary.
City police and RCMP have also agreed to a special "philosophical framework," or code of ethics, that states they will respect the rights of activists to protest peacefully.
"We don't want confrontation," Redford says.
"We've got to recognize it's not a case of us against them. This is a democracy . . . and people have a right to express their views."
To ensure hooligans and vandals don't hijack peaceful protests, a Calgary police "rapid deployment team" will be on standby 24 hours to react to outbreaks of violence.
Deputy chief Rick Hanson says security forces will compromise with activists in order to defuse confrontation -- as long as it doesn't jeopardize summit leaders or delegates.
For example, police recognize that Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary could be an attractive meeting place for protesters, but city bylaws state the plaza can't be used for political purposes.
Hanson says it might be best to show discretion rather than sticking to the letter of the law, if the result is maintaining the public peace.
"We have to be flexible," he says. "I don't think we can take the attitude that we're enforcing all laws at all costs."
Ultimately, security officials are confident the summit in Kananaskis will be violence free.
"With all due respect to other places (that have hosted summits), they're not Calgary.
"This is a law and order community," says Redford. " It has a strong history of support for the police service and its objectives, because the police service strongly supports the community."
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