Forum on Olympic policing and security

Vancouver, March 27, 2009 - The 2010 Olympic Security arrangements were explained to Downtown Eastside Residents last night.

Two Integrated Security Coordinators met a packed hall full of local residents in the meeting hosted by Pivot.

The Vancouver respresentative was deputy police chief Steve Sweeney, who explained that the VPD would be responsoble for policing as usual in areas outside the Olympic venues.

While there would be a higher police presence, the officers would all be local police as there would be no annual leave during the games. Sweeney said homeless people will be offered space in shelters or given help to go wherever they want, and only arrested if they refuse to move from inside the fenced off Olympic venues.

Of most concern to residents at the meeting was the Georgia Viaduct area adjacent to the Downtown Eastside where a number of homeless people live.

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer, who is overseeing security for the Games next February, said there would be no special policing during the games, saying: "If it's legal today, it will be legal in 2010."

Sweeney said there was no plan to sweep Vancouver's streets of marginalized people: "We will not be engaging in any kind of social cleansing."

[Listen to a Rabble podcast interview with Pivot's housing campaigner Laura Track about why Pivot organized the meeting and how it went]

View pictures taken at the meeting by Anthony Damonse on Flickr.