http://www.phillynews.com/inquirer/99/Dec/06/front_page/PYTWOK06.htm

[snip]

In place are massive overtime orders and response plans to handle even a worst-case scenario in which computer systems shut down, disrupting utility service and possibly sparking civil unrest.

[snip]

"We are prepared to address the worst-case scenario of a complete blackout and a total loss of communications," said Philadelphia Police Inspector Charles Temparali, who devised the department's Y2K operations plan.

"My expectations," he added, "are that nothing is going to happen."

[snip]

Another variable in this year's mix is the potential for domestic terrorism and civil disorder.

The FBI has warned police about cults and religious and political extremists who view the Year 2000 as an apocalyptic event.

Some groups and individuals believe that domestic chaos caused by the computer bug is part of a United Nations conspiracy to destabilize the United States and impose a "New World Order."

[snip]

Because of the unique threat of computer-caused power failures, the Pennsylvania National Guard will have 300 officers on duty statewide - a few in each armory - to be easily reachable by radio.

"Should a situation arise that guard work will be necessary, the governor would be able to quickly activate them and get them moving," said PEMA's Bourne.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), December 06, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Police prepare to be out in force when 2000 arrives

By Maria Panaritis and John Way Jennings

INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

Having trouble deciding where to spend New Year's Eve?

If you're a cop, chances are your boss has made that choice painfully simple: the squad car.

With the most anticipated and potentially volatile New Year's Eve of the ages approaching, law-enforcement agencies everywhere are pouring money, staffing and planning into playing it safe.

They are mustering legions for any and all emergencies, from widespread power outages caused by the Y2K computer bug to unruly revelers. Requests for time off have been canceled or curtailed.

In place are massive overtime orders and response plans to handle even a worst-case scenario in which computer systems shut down, disrupting utility service and possibly sparking civil unrest.

Cases in point:

In Philadelphia, police have scheduled up to 4,000 hours of overtime to blanket the city with officers, commanders and detectives between 11:30 p.m. New Year's Eve and 4 a.m. the next day. They will also set up a backup 911 center with operators in a separate building.

In Camden, holiday leave has been canceled to make room for extra patrols and stakeouts.

The National Park Service will have law enforcement managers working round-the-clock from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4, protecting its national icons from terrorism, blackouts or plain old tourist crises.

"It's a gamble," said Richard B. Costello, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 in Philadelphia. Law-enforcement chiefs, he said, are "no more certain as to what's coming than anybody else."

Amid all this, officials say they expect that the new year probably will descend with little more than a glitch or two.

But because the event is so unusual and the outcome unpredictable, they are trying to be ready for anything.

"We are prepared to address the worst-case scenario of a complete blackout and a total loss of communications," said Philadelphia Police Inspector Charles Temparali, who devised the department's Y2K operations plan.

"My expectations," he added, "are that nothing is going to happen."

In Camden, Lt. Joseph Richardson, a Police Department spokesman, said leave has been canceled for police officers who were scheduled to be off duty.

"We will add additional platoons to the patrol and traffic divisions," he said. "Additional detectives will be placed on stakeouts at strategic sites around the city."

Police will also pay special attention to the three hospitals in Camden. "We want to have people in place in case there is a problem," Richardson said.

The challenges of this New Year's Eve stem from the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer bug.

Years ago, when many computer systems were programmed, their makers used only the last two digits to specify a particular year on the machines' internal clocks. Systems that have not been reprogrammed may have difficulty recognizing the year "00," causing them to crash or shut down.

Government and corporate officials have sought to reassure the public that major utilities, banks and telecommunications companies have fixed the problem. But there is no guarantee that other fixtures - from elevators to air traffic control systems - will be unaffected.

Another variable in this year's mix is the potential for domestic terrorism and civil disorder.

The FBI has warned police about cults and religious and political extremists who view the Year 2000 as an apocalyptic event.

Some groups and individuals believe that domestic chaos caused by the computer bug is part of a United Nations conspiracy to destabilize the United States and impose a "New World Order."

Police, along with municipal and county emergency management coordinators across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have spent months crafting meaty staff schedules for 911 dispatch centers, beat patrols and emergency response teams.

In Philadelphia, the 7,000-member police force will be under heavy strain. Normally, the biggest staffing demand of the season occurs New Year's Day, with the Mummers Parade.

This year, the department must also grapple with Y2K and a 24-hour- long "millennium" celebration, with public New Year's events scheduled throughout the city starting at 7 a.m. Dec. 31.

In October, the department canceled requests for New Year's Day leave. Only officers who had already scheduled time off or whose regular days off landed on New Year's Day will be able to stay home.

Most everyone else will be working. The department will extend the normal eight-hour work shift to 12 hours so that instead of working from 4 p.m. to midnight on Dec. 31, officers will stay until 4 a.m. or longer, if necessary, Temparali said.

That equals 2,000 to 4,000 overtime hours between 11:30 p.m. and 4 a.m., running a potential tab of $70,000 to $140,000, Temparali said.

Beyond that is the overtime needed to patrol the Mummers. Deployment for that event has not yet been calculated because the parade was only recently moved from Broad Street to Market Street.

But overall, about 1,000 more officers will be on duty New Year's Eve, Temparali said.

Commanders are especially concerned about such things as traffic lights going out during a power failure and people shooting guns to ring in the New Year. Last year, a reveler's bullet struck an 11-year- old boy in the head.

Working with city traffic engineers, police have targeted 180 of the most dangerous intersections. They will send officers and streets department employees to those spots to direct traffic and install stop signs if power goes out.

Commanders also will flood certain neighborhoods with patrols to keep people from shooting off guns to celebrate the New Year. The department surveyed the 911 calls received last New Year's Eve and identified neighborhoods from which the greatest number of firearms reports originated.

Regionally, emergency management officials are encouraging residents to avoid calling 911 if they lose power or have a question.

"If they have a problem, they should call their power company and their county emergency management agency," said Marco Bourne, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. "Those numbers are in the blue pages."

Radio rooms may also be busy handling calls about computer-controlled burglar and fire alarms going off as a result of the Y2K bug.

So PEMA is encouraging counties to set up a "rumor control" hotline for people wanting to report events possibly related to a Y2K problem.

PEMA will set up a state information hotline. For now, Y2K questions can be directed to 877-722-5669.

In Philadelphia, measures are in place to ensure enough 911 operators will be on duty to handle a massive influx of calls.

All 34 work stations in the radio room at police headquarters will be staffed until at least 5 a.m. New Year's Day, with more overtime if needed, said Deputy Police Commissioner Charles Brennan, the department's technology chief.

Thirty days each year - including Mischief Night, Halloween and New Year's Day - the police fully staff each 911 work station.

But unlike any other time in the department's history, top officials will have an additional 10 operators on standby at the city's Emergency Operations Center at 3rd and Spring Garden Streets in case power is cut off at headquarters.

That contingent would be put into action only in a "grave emergency," Brennan said. It is highly unlikely, he said, because there are two power supplies for the 911 radio room at police headquarters - Peco Energy Co. power lines and a diesel-powered backup generator.

Police departments across the region have installed backup generators and upgraded their computer systems for Y2K.

Pennsylvania State Police communications systems are ready, and troopers have been restricted from taking leave between Dec. 31 and Jan. 4, said Capt. Jeffrey R. Davis, with the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations in Hershey.

New Jersey State Police will have additional patrols on the roads. But they will saturate North Jersey with troopers because crowds heading into and out of Manhattan are expected to be triple in size.

Because of the unique threat of computer-caused power failures, the Pennsylvania National Guard will have 300 officers on duty statewide - a few in each armory - to be easily reachable by radio.

"Should a situation arise that guard work will be necessary, the governor would be able to quickly activate them and get them moving," said PEMA's Bourne.

Regional offices of the FBI and National Park Service will also be staffed round-the-clock.

FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said the agency would be on the lookout for criminal computer acts. The Park Service, which oversees such icons as Independence Hall and Valley Forge National Historical Park, has terrorism plans in place and will staff command centers from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), December 06, 1999.

But because the event is so unusual and the outcome unpredictable, they are trying to be ready for anything.

[snip]

"My expectations," he added, "are that nothing is going to happen."

Uh oh. Thats the attitude that bytes.

Expect the... unexpected.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

Most everyone else will be working. The department will extend the normal eight-hour work shift to 12 hours so that instead of working from 4 p.m. to midnight on Dec. 31, officers will stay until 4 a.m. or longer, if necessary, Temparali said.

Interesting they would extend shifts out so the LEO's are most tired exactly when they need to be frosty.

"or longer, if necessary" he said. What do you want to bet it might be just a little bit longer?

-- Powder (powder@keg.com), December 06, 1999.