Posted Date: 8th October, 2009   Time: 12:45 p.m.

One of the largest events to ever come to the lower mainland are the 2010 Olympic Games. The Delta Police Department is taking a proactive role in planning in for what their needs maybe. They are taking the lead on this, and have received calls from other police forces from around the province. There is a very large reserve section that during the Olympics will be taking over in a large number of police duties.
There are a lot of people coming and many are landing here in Delta, speaking with Hotels and Motels in Delta they are almost completely booked and have been for a year.
Last year the RCMP, who are tasked with security for the games put out a plea to local police forces for assistance. At that time we put together a memorandum of agreement to send 35 members to the ISU (Integrated Security Unit). They have to limit how much service they give. The ISU wants everything and will take everything the can. The Delta Police want to protect our community and make sure that our services are not disrupted at home. This is an opportunity for The Delta Police Department to shine. They have highly trained members who will be serving in their Delta Police uniforms and will be easily identified as Delta police members. They begin phasing in our members in January, the secondments will last 16- 28 days. Members of the ISU are housed where they are deployed, ready for mobilization at a moments notice. They are not allowed to drive their own cars or have visitors, no family contact at all. The members seconded to the ISU volunteered for this. The Toronto PD is sending 200 police members; there are a lot of police officers coming.
They are temporarily restructuring our police department, and have initiated a department wide vacation ban from January to April. There will be no training, the courts have also cooperated by not running any trials that require police witnesses. All of the Delta Police members will be working. They are also retracting members from emergency response team, and bringing them back into our community. Delta Police members who are being seconded by the ISU wages are being paid by the ISU so there will not be a cost increase for our department.
The Police Department has a plan for policing the Boundary Bay Airport and is in talks with the ISU. The RCMP took the contract because it is a federal installation and are now realizing now that they cannot commit the resources.
In conjunction with the increased policing there will also be an increase in military personnel.