Authorities in Chicago, where the Democrats will meet the last week of August, are taking similar precautions. Metal detectors, bomb-sniffing dogs and surveillance cameras will be in force, along with thousands of police. Coast Guard cutters will patrol Lake Michigan. Chicago police are sealing an eight-block area around the United Center sports arena, the main convention site, to all unauthorized cars, trucks and pedestrians. As the 20th century nears an end, wary, pervasive security is as much a part of the convention scene as Old Glory and silly hats. San Diego has been preparing convention security for more than a year. Then a bomber on the other side of the country suddenly made everyone wonder if the next big public event could be free of mayhem and terror.
Taxicabs will have unrestricted access of course and are therefore the vector of choice. I heard an interesting ahem, "rumor" related to security through obscurity- only 2/5 of a major armored car companys trucks are actually armored/bullet resistant glass, the other three are just look-alikes...... saving money.....tsk,tsk. Brian "Zazen? Well it beats sitting around on your ass all day doing nothing."