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Chief: 4,000 Officers Needed For G-20 Summit

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Jun 29, 2009 8:19 pm US/Eastern

Chief: 4,000 Officers Needed For G-20 Summit

Reporting
Jon Delano
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Pittsburgh's police chief says he may need four times the number of officers he currently has if the city is to provide adequate security during the G-20 Summit this fall.

Chief Nate Harper says he hopes to have more than 4,000 officers on hand by September.

Security issues will be front and center from now through the summit.

How can officials make sure that everyone is safe -- while protecting those who wish to peacefully protest the economic policies of the G-20?

It's a major challenge that will require thousands of well-trained police officers, as well as the help of everyone from hotel workers to transportation drivers.

Public Safety Director Michael Huss confirmed that at least 4,000 police officers will provide security at the G-20 summit.

"I'm not going to talk about security around the G-20," Huss said Monday. "That number is out there. It is a correct number. It is a number that we've kicked around internally. But we are just now beginning to assign personnel."

"Understand that we're going to do everything in our power to make this city safe and secure and to have a good positive event that is reflected internationally in a positive way about the city of Pittsburgh," he added.

On the front line in that safety will be local transportation services hired by foreign embassies and media to transport their people.

Linda Gasper at Regency Transportation has already taken calls from eight of the 20 countries at the summit.

"Some are looking for four or five vans, no limos. They want sedans, black cars. It has to be a Lincoln town car or a Cadillac. They don't want a white car. It has to be black," Gasper told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano.

Many transportation companies are teaming up with security firms like Specialty Security Response with Pittsburgh Transportation, the owner of Yellow Cabs.

An executive van is very much unlike the vans that you've been in. It's full of plush leather seats, a television screen and all the electronics that you could want with plenty of room for security guards.

The best security comes from the people involved like Michael French who has chauffeured many dignitaries, including the prime minister of Great Britain.

He says nothing beats skilled and attentive drivers.

"The driver takes responsibility for his vehicles -- doesn't leave his vehicle -- makes sure that everything is safe. He knows where is vehicle has been at all times and not out of his sight," says French.

French says he expects to hear from the Secret Service, the agency with prime responsibility for security.

As for the police -- training is key. A parliamentary committee in London, where the last G-20 was held, criticized their police for being poorly trained to deal with 35,000 protesters.

With only three months left, Pittsburgh police will work hard to avoid those mistakes.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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