Games security plans

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33049, 17 October 1972, Page 1

Games security plans

Security at the sports venues and at the Ham village during the 1974 Commonwealth Games was discussed at a meeting yesterday of representatives of the Games organisation’s sports control committees and village committee. The meeting was presided over by the chairman of the organising committee (Mr R. S. Scott), who said the intention was to view the whole spectrum of security and to find out what the needs were and -what potential hazards existed.

In the final analysis security would be the responsibility of the police, and the organising committee was intent on preparing itself to the point where it could give the police the most assistance, said Mr Scott.

He said it was important that security arrangements be kept as confidential as possible. The organising committee’s executive recently decided to restrict access to the security file to only two of its members.

Mr Scott said that yesterday’s meeting was not aimed at ensuring security in any one area, or against any people in particular. “The more dramatic types

of security breaches, which have been much talked about lately, are not the only ones we must consider,” he said. “We must ensure that the competitors are not unduly bothered in the village or when they are training, and this means keeping away many well-meaning people. There must also-be the conventional security provided for all visiting V.LP.S.” Yet another area in which security must' be looked at, said Mr Scott, was guarding against the criminal element profiting in any way by the Games. This was especially so at the sports venues where large amounts of money would be bandied.