Extensive security measures will be established at KAZAN 2015 venues, Tatarstan’s Ministry of the Interior says

8 July 2015, Wednesday

All venues will be checked by deminers and explosive detector dog teams for dangerous, hazardous and prohibited articles.

Over 7,000 law enforcement officers will be involved in the provision of security measures at the 16th FINA World Championships in Kazan. This information was revealed today by Marat Fatkhullin, Head of the Sports Event Security Department at Tatarstan’s Ministry of the Interior during a press conference held at the Tatar-inform Information Agency.

“We’ve assigned less law-enforcement officers to work at the upcoming sporting event than we did during the Universiade. But the organisers hire other organisations to ensure security at venues – they carry out the same duties that were imposed on police officers during the Universiade. There are about 450 employees of private security companies and 966 safety stewards,” Marat Fatkhulin said.

According to him, the Universiade’s experience is kept in mind when staging major international sporting events in Kazan. However, a number of changes have been introduced. This first of all includes the changes to the federal legislationt in accordance with which the security at sporting venues is allocated to the event organisers whereas police officers ensure safety measures at the entrances to venues and at the areas where international sporting events are held. Their main mission is to provide every support to the workforce involved. 

Therefore, a number of duties will be carried out by safety stewards and employees of private security companies. Together with police officers they will conduct the searching of spectators (body search and search of bags), patrol the river embankment and perform check and distribution duties at venues involved. Safety officers will also ensure law and order within the sports venues.

“As to the number of police officers, I can say that a little more than 7,000 law enforcement officials will be engaged in security operations during the sporting event,” Marat Fatkhullin said. “We will also involve up to 1,000 soldiers of internal army forces from other regions of Russia. Together with police officers, they will patrol city streets”.

Apart from that Marat Fatkhullin noted that a number of law enforcement officers from other districts of Tatarstan and regions of Russia will be assigned to work at the FINA World Championships. They will make about 20% of all police officers involved in the security operation. Among them are criminologists, criminal intelligence analysts, deminers and detector dog handlers.

“At the same time, however, I would like to note that our daily routine these days will be far from being light. We’ve cancelled vacations, we’ve changed our work schedules and due to this the frequency of shifts will be just like during our day-to-day work,” the Head of the Sports Event Security Department said. “For example, a full-scale security provision plan is currently in action in Kazan. According to this plan, we gradually increase the number of law enforcement squads at event sites.”   

The Sports Event Security Department of the  Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Tatarstan was established five years before the 2013 Summer Universiade took place. It’s a special agency responsible for coordinating activities of Tatarstan’s Interior Ministry in the build-up and during major international events. After the Universiade it was reorganised, but Tatarstan’s experience was used for creating similar agencies in 10 cities across Russia. The department’s main mission for today is the preparation and provision of security services at the 16th FINA World Championships.

Starting July 19, security measures will be imposed on all venues that will be used during the 16th FINA World Championships. The special security regime will be maintained until July 23. From July 19, deminers and explosive detector dog teams will start checking all venues for dangerous, hazardous and prohibited articles. Sports venues where medals will be contested will begin opening two hours before the start of the competitions.

Moreover, law enforcement agencies began the inspection of all key routes that will be used to transport Championships participants. The route from the Kazan International Airport along which team officials and athletes will be transported has already been checked. There are over 70 routes that in the city that will also be taken under security control. All objects located along the route that raise suspicion will be lead-sealed in order to facilitate police officers’ work. The number of enforcement squads at metro stations will also be increased.

“We have little time left, therefore in order complete all security inspections we’ve started conducting them in advance,” Marat Fatkhullin said.

In the lead-up to the World Aquatics Championships, the Executive Directorate for Sports Projects developed a special safety manual. When it was finalised, it was sent out to all involved agencies and departments, including the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Tatarstan. The manual features a list of prohibited items that cannot be brought into the venues.

“This manual was drawn up according to the federal legislation where the list had already been confirmed. It will be made available for public at information boards located at all entrances to the venues. Any person and any visitor will be able to see it. As of today, we have all equipment required for scanning everything brought into the venues,” the Head of the Sports Event Security Department said.

According to Marat Fatkhullin, just like at the Universiade, each sports venue will have a safety blanket around which checkpoint booths will be set up. “We have all required equipment and gear left after the Universiade; they are operational and will be used to the full extent. We have checkpoint booths that have already been set up and are fully ready for use,” Marat Fatkhullin explained.

“Surveillance planes that are on the books of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Tatarstan will be used as well. They will be operated according to a special schedule. They will be mainly used to survey the outskirts of the city and will not cause any inconvenience to people living in residential areas,” the speaker said.

The 16th FINA World Championships will be held in Kazan between July 24 and August 9. For the first time ever the FINA World Masters Championships will be held on August 5-16 in conjunction with the main event. It is expected that up to 100,000 visitors will come to Kazan. Security measures will be provided by 10,000 police officers, employees of private security companies and safety stewards.   

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