If 10,500 Olympic athletes actually descend on Chicago in 2016, a massive security apparatus will be rolled out in an attempt to steel the city’s soft spots — from its lakefront and parks to its transportation system and hotels — against potential attack.
The city likely would resemble a closely watched fishbowl, with surveillance in the air, on and under the water, and in and around sporting venues, celebratory sites, tourist havens, roadways and rail lines. Ideally, the heavy spend — estimated at $1 billion-plus — should not translate into a heavy hand.
“The venues need to reflect the spirit of global openness and cooperation that the Games represent,” said Northwestern University lecturer Jonathan Schachter, formerly managing deputy director of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
While the Chicago 2016 bid committee discussed security in broad brush strokes, several experts agreed to dig a little deeper. Schachter worked with two other experts, David Dougherty, retired commander/special events with the Chicago Police Department, and security consultant Danny Lahat, a veteran of Israel’s General Security Service and an adviser to the Athens 2004 Olympics, to assess potential challenges for Chicago.
Adding insight on potential solutions was Robert Sikellis, managing director of security firm Vance, which has advised governments, organizing committees and corporations in relation to Olympics in Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens, Turin and Beijing.
What follows are some of their key thoughts on Chicago’s security challenges:
