SA cops sent to Caribbean to boost World Cup security
South Africa is sending 64 policemen to the Caribbean to help with security at the Cricket World Cup, National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi said yesterday.
The contingent, led by Deputy National Commissioner André Pruis, would be deployed until April 29 to provide operational assistance for the Super Eight stage, semi-finals and finals in Grenada, St Lucia and Barbados, Selebi said.
The group leaves on Sunday.
It includes members of the special task force and national intervention unit, bomb disposal experts, detectives, hostage negotiators, crime scene investigators, explosives experts, dog handlers and a command and control group.
Selebi’s spokesperson, Sally de Beer, said they would be accompanied by 13 soldiers from the SANDF and 7 Medical Battalion.
The police and troops would be involved in the sweeping of venues, airports and harbours, VIP protection and crowd management, and would be available for emergencies not only at the cricket venues, but in any of the Caribbean countries.
Selebi said he did not want to discuss the cost of the deployment, but said none of the members would be living in five-star accommodation.
“They will be sleeping in tents and doing their jobs,” he said.
Selebi said that by offering assistance, South Africa could later ask for the same in return, especially with the 2010 Soccer World Cup just around the corner.
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05 Avril 2007 à 14:45 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
