District Officials Boost Manpower

Updated 7:43 PM ET December 20, 1999

By DERRILL HOLLY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Manned street intersections, electronic surveillance of well-known tourist sites and even reserves of water are among the preparations underway in the nation's capital for the New Year's weekend.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies have begun boosting security in the District of Columbia, which is expected to draw an estimated 500,000 revelers to planned millennium festivities.

Electronic monitoring and security sweeps will intensify for sites that could draw huge crowds during the year-end rollover, including the National Mall and the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center.

And all over town, officials are beefing up safety in the district's buildings and adding officers.

"Certainly there will be heightened security measures at all government buildings," said D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey at a briefing Monday.

The district's Metropolitan Police Department's 3,520 officers will work extended shifts throughout New Year's weekend, with the D.C. National Guard and the Defense Department also playing security roles.

Ramsey said the police will also have reserve personnel available to be used as needed for anything, including counterterrorism efforts.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that there are potential terrorist targets here," Ramsey said.

As part of the preparations, city officials have designated more than 145 street intersections that will be manned by law enforcement officers. And the district has been divided into patrol regions so that public safety personnel are within walking distance of any residence or building.

It's not just manpower that the city has been accumulating.

In the past few months, district officials have purchased 10,000 blankets, 7,000 cots, 25,000 military-style ready to eat meals, and a supply of bottled water that Laporte said could last three to five days.

"We've had more drills than any other city in the country," said Peter Laporte, director of emergency services for the District of Columbia.

The White House and Congress supplied 90 percent of the $140 million spent to make sure that the city and its services continue to function.

"Washington is the home city for the federal government," said John Koskinen, the White House's top Y2K advisor.

For that reason, federal and local officials are working hand-in-hand to protect the city. For example, State Department personnel will be at the district's emergency management agency during the rollover so they can address issues impacting foreign embassies and consulates in the city.

Despite all the preparation, federal officials said they remain wary about computer security, during a time when attention might be focused elsewhere.

While all of the district's key systems have now been certified Y2K compliant, Koskinen said experts will remain vigilant out of concern for "hackers, criminals or others who will be trying to take advantage of that weekend."

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Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), December 20, 1999