Security: The RCMP's first commandment

By Dominic Patten, CTV News

He'll get off the helicopter in a parking lot just off the site of Ontario Place and take a short motorcade, in the Popemobile, along a cordoned off Lakeshore Boulevard.

The Pontiff will then pass through the gates at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) to preside over a welcoming rally for World Youth Day.

Sounds straight forward enough. It is for the pontiff, but the Pope will be one of only a few attending World Youth Day events who will not have been subjected to unprecedented security checks.

On previous visits to Canada, such as in 1984, access to Papal events was virtually on a first come, first serve basis. But, in the aftermath of the tragedies of Sept. 11 and a renewed sense of vigilance, that's all changed now.

"We've been working on a security plan for over a year," says Inspector Larry Sinclair of the Toronto Police, "and after Sept. 11 we had to rethink the plan."

His own people, such as the Swiss Guard, usually handle the Pope's security detail but when he visits other countries the Holy Father comes under the jurisdiction of the host nation's authorities.

To get a sense of the organizational structure of the security here in Canada, think of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as first-among-equals on the task force, overseeing and taking ultimate responsibility.

The anticipated 300,000 pilgrims attending World Youth Day will have hundreds of police watching over them from the RCMP, the Toronto and Peel Regional Police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), among others, and over 1,300 private security guards hired by the WYD organizers.

"Pilgrims can expect to be wanded, scanned with scanning devices for metal objects, both on their person and in their property," says Sinclair, "and also that any bags or possessions being carried onto the site will be searched."

Like at a rock concert the private security will be doing the searches, but if anything deemed dangerous is found, expect the authorities to step in without a moment's hesitation.

Each pilgrim will also be issued an official ID that will have his or her name and affiliation on it. The passes will specify exactly what days and what events the pilgrim can attend. And if you have no pass, or it's the wrong date, you're not getting in.

The ultimate responsibility for visiting VIPs such as the Pope and domestic dignitaries such as the prime minister, lies with the RCMP. The Mounties say that in the post Sept. 11 environment providing successful security is about embracing change.

"All of our security apparatus and what we provide the prime minister is based on a threat assessment and that is a living breathing thing that evolves on a daily basis," says RCMP Staff Sgt. Andre Guertin, from RCMP HQ in Ottawa.

There have been a number of breaches of the Pope's security over the years.

There was, of course, the 1981 assignation attempt in Rome. Then in 1982, a man with a knife got far too close when the Pope was visiting Fatima, Portugal.

There are also rumours of a foiled assassination attempt in 1998 while the Pontiff was visiting Eastern Europe. In the past year, a man sprung up on the stage at an event and barrelled toward the Holy Father, only to be blocked by bodyguards at the last moment.

Unlike many political leaders, the Pope's security breaches are almost an even balance between those that are hostile and those who are just overly friendly.

In the case of the latter example, the man who stormed the stage was devout Catholic who simply was moved to touch the Pope as a gesture of faith.

The reality is that all the planning and information in the world can never provide total protection, says Canada's former top intelligence official.

"The hardest thing to defend against are not those threats that people will be talking about in those closed rooms," says Reid Morden, former director of CSIS. "But it's the guy just over the tracks who gets up in the morning and says 'this is the day I'm going to make a gesture against organized religion'."

While most of WYD is for accredited pilgrims, the grounds at Downsview will see gatherings for both accredited pilgrims and for the general public. For all events, the public mass and others, officials say they will have a significant number of plain clothed officers mingling among the crowds to ensure everyone's safety and security.

"What we would ultimately like is that you won't notice anything," says RCMP spokesperson Michele Paradis.

While the RCMP and others involved in the security arrangements are loath to give specifics for fear of compromising the plans, Paradis said: "If you are coming as a pilgrim or somebody for the mass, you won't notice a heightened security. Not that it won't be there. What we will be is in the background."

From the moment the Pope's plane lands at Pearson International Airport on July 22 to when he leaves on July 29, the eyes of the world will be on Toronto and on Canada. To put it lightly, the eyes of Toronto and Canada's finest will be looking out at the pilgrims and other visitors to make sure everything at World Youth Day goes off without a single security hitch.