By Jim Chu, Chief Constable, Vancouver Police Department,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada n February 2010, the Winter
Olympic and Paralympic Games were successfully staged in the
city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; the resort
community of Whistler; and adjoining municipalities. Vancouver
became the largest metropolitan area to host the Winter Games,
and an unprecedented number of athletes, officials, spectators,
and celebrants participated in the event, which also was watched
by record television audiences. When the Olympics concluded,
many compliments were extended to the games’ organizers, the
volunteers, and, notably, the law enforcement agencies that kept
the games safe. This article will highlight the key policing
challenges and offer lessons learned on public order–policing
practices that apply to any large-scale public event. Security
is always a paramount consideration during the Olympics, and the
lead responsibility for the security of the Vancouver 2010 games
was given to Canada’s natio