San Diego-based Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) is installing surveillance equipment and other security systems for the Athens 2004 Games and is in the midst of a two-day exercise to test communication links between Greek agencies.
Dave Tubbs, senior vice president of SAIC told The Associated Press, “we’re also giving individuals who will be involved in the actual security process an opportunity to work with the equipment and see how it works”.
Greek police, firefighters and coast guards are participating in the exercises which exclude forces from the seven-nation security advisory group.
SAIC is in charge of setting up more than 100 command centres around the city.
The exercise will also test stationary closed-circuit cameras that will operate from about 1,250 concrete columns and systems to find the location of vehicles.
According to Tubbs the surveillance network will also include helicopters and a blimp that will send images to personnel managing traffic and crowd control.
About 4,000 security personnel must be trained to work with the equipment, which includes computers and communications systems.
