Day 6: Feeling safe

I wonder of everybody in Canada manages to feels safe these days as it appears all the country's police forces are in here! I have tried and finally managed to find the first Barrie Police Officer today. The security of the Games is composed of police officers from multiple Canadian cities, I don't remember how many of our Canadian Forces members and even some "private contractors" ....whatever that means.

Getting in the Village is the same as the airport. Metal detectors and screens to look at everything that is brought in. Our accreditations, basically a large license plate we have hanging on our neck all the time, identifies by the means of small codes and graphics where one is allowed to go. When you want to go to the dining hall: flash your "accred" and they let you in. If we go to the International Centre within the Village, we have to flash it again upon re-entering the Village as there is a Village exit beyonf that fence as well and they don't know if we just went to the Olympic store, buy tickets for events or came from "outside the wire".
This latter analogy is the term used by military forces when leaving the safety of the protected compunds when in Afghanistan. I guess it is a little heavy to use here.

I learned some cool info when on the bus toi Cypress mountain the other day. All buses used for venue transport have a GPS on board and the Commnad Centre knows where they are, where they're going and when they supposed toarrive. Anything not matching will cause a security response to that vehicle. If the bus veers off its path an alarm sounds and the Centre will send a response team. Dono't even think of taking s "short cut" or a detouor around an accident. The response to any obstruction preventing this great flow of traffic to venues is fast so no athlete or team is thrown off schedule.

There are many RCMP and police officers within the Village the Village as well. What a great osting! Like I told the Barrie Officer: -10 celcius in Barrie or hanging out in the Village at + 9 celciusmeeting people from around the world. Tough decision.

As we are set in False Creek near the end close to the Science centre's geodesic dome structure, water access is also an issue. There is constant police boat presence. Under Cambie street bridge, the usual access to this end of False Creek is close to boats so no one can come in. I even heard there are divers patrolling the undersurface. This would surprise me. With the technology available these days , I would think underwater detection instruments would be better than the diver swimming along with 10 feet visibility. But you never know....

Anyhow, we feel pretty safe over here.

Richard