My little town's upcoming marathon now has extra security because of Boston. Security theater?

[Poll_Blind]

Boston bombings prompt security upgrades at Eugene Marathon
http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/29769326-75/marathon-event-finish-eugene-officials.html.csp

With the finish line in sight, Eugene Marathon officials say they’ve made a final push toward ensuring participant and spectator safety at this weekend’s event.

Race organizers announced that they’ve decided to ramp up security in light of the deadly bombings at last week’s Boston Marathon. A number of local police agencies and the Oregon National Guard will be part of the effort.

“It’s something we have to do in the aftermath (of the Boston incident), which really got us thinking about security,” race director Richard Maher said.

Eugene police Lt. Sam Kamkar said last week that “a large contingent” of officers will work the event. Beyond that, police and marathon officials have declined to discuss specific details regarding the upgraded safety plan.

Question: Is upgraded security (and presumably extra costs) for an event like this, specifically as a result of the event at the Boston Marathon, warranted?

PB

[datasuspect]

1. you have to spend drug war money on something

plus it gives the coppers the opportunity to play military dress up.

they get their rocks off on that shit.

every little piggie has a SWAT piggie in his little heart.

[Downwinder]

2. Overtime.

[Poll_Blind]

3. LOL! YEP! I wanted to hold off in responding before I said anything else but...

...you hit the nail on the head with what I was thinking and I can't help but respond.

Overtime.

PB

[Arctic Dave]

29. Nailed it.

They got to milk the fear cow for all it's worth.

[marions ghost]

4. They might as well practice

& it could make the crowd feel better.

[Poll_Blind]

5. And as cynical as I am...I have to concede that is a good point, too. I'm just wondering...

...what the bill for that is going to be.

PB

[marions ghost]

10. We all pay for this

situation ...yeah the cost for therapy needs to be weighed...

[Marrah_G]

8. yup

[LeftofObama]

9. I agree.

It will put some people's minds at ease and maybe deter some idiot copy cat or a stupid frat boy with a hand full of fire crackers that thinks it would be funny. I would say it's a good thing in the short term.

[HappyMe]

11. Yup, I agree.

[Phentex]

6. I'm sure Atlanta will do this, too, for the 60,000 running on July 4th...

and no, I do not think it is warranted. It's a pretty crazy and fun event. Someone could do harm if they wanted to and no amount of police presence could change that.

[Bluenorthwest]

34. Gee and Atlanta has such a great record for security at major events....

amazing that they are all worried about bombs. Where did they get that fool notion?

[Phentex]

36. Not to worry...

they have blown up phone books and Burger King packages and all sorts of suspicious packages since then. They are ready!

Meanwhile, shootings. Nearly every day. They haven't quite figured that out yet.

[FarCenter]

7. Futile theater

[Robb]

12. I think it's proportional, and appropriate.

You're probably not a target for another well-organized bombing plot, sure.

But you've got great odds of being targeted by a copycat idiot -- who also has an excellent chance of being either turned around from the get-go or being caught by law enforcement efforts on this scale.

[Bragi]

22. Great odds? Not really. /nt

[Robb]

23. A lot of bombings, sadly, inspire copycat bombers.

The copycats are usually idiots, fortunately. This is just the kind of thing that puts them off or gets them caught.

[Demoiselle]

13. "Theater", i.e., obvious police presence, is a primary ingredient of security in public events.

Do you really have a complaint with this? I don't mean to sound hostile, but come ON!

[Poll_Blind]

14. Not at all- if the extra duty officers, national guard, etc. were free. But they're not.

Someone's got to pay for that extra presence and my town, my county, my state is in serious financial hurt already.

If money were no object or not involved I would have absolutely no problem with a heightened presence although I'd still feel it would, essentially, be without reason.

PB

[Demoiselle]

15. So cops should work for free?

I'm not going to participate in this thread anymore, because I feel like Alice down the rabbit hole.

[Poll_Blind]

17. Don't be silly. I'm saying I don't see the reason for such a heightened police presence in...

...my town.

"So cops should work for free?" Good lord.

PB

[jberryhill]

16. It's better than other things money could be spent on

The spending on overtime for those people is stimulative.

[Poll_Blind]

19. Oh, what other things could it be spent on? nt

PB

[jberryhill]

25. Donations to Freerepublic?

Now THAT would be throwing money down a toilet.

[Bragi]

21. How about total lockdown everywhere all the time? /nt

[uppityperson]

18. For a bit, for those idiots who are copycats, is fine with me.

[Bragi]

20. Demand a citywide lockdown w/house searches

Tell them they should follow the new total protection standard set by the Boston PD.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

24. Terrorism 'Not Likely' Cause Of Fire At Local Laundromat

http://www.theonion.com/articles/terrorism-not-likely-cause-of-fire-at-local-laundr,75/

EUCLID, OH—Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge assured the American people Monday that terrorism was "not likely a factor" in the fire that damaged a downtown Euclid laundromat Sunday afternoon.

The site of the blaze feared to be the work of al-Qaeda. Inset: Ridge answers reporters' questions.

"At this time, there is nothing to suggest that yesterday's Sudsy Duds fire was the work of a terrorist group, al-Qaeda or otherwise," Ridge said. "The FBI is conducting a thorough investigation into the cause, but thus far, there is no evidence indicating that this was a terrorist strike against our nation."

Euclid Fire Chief Andrew Donnelly, who has been working closely with state and federal officials in the wake of the blaze, offered his theory on its cause.

"I'm guessing water flooded into the basement, causing a misfire in an oil furnace that sparked a minor explosion," Donnelly said. "Groundwater probably seeped through the walls of the lower level and reached the boiler in the middle of the floor. Luckily, we were able to contain the blaze without causing too much structural water damage. Coulda been a lot worse."

[olddots]

26. Eugene is cool and it won't be too crazy

n.t.

[DonViejo]

27. Better safe than sorry. nt

[cali]

28. I don't think so but I don't think of Eugene as a small town

hell, I think of Burlington as the big city and it only has a population of 42,000. The Burlington race organizers have held a safety meeting for the marathon to be held there in May. It has about the same number of runners as the Eugene race.

[former9thward]

30. The extra security is not warranted.

Just as the post 9/11 TSA has made flying unpleasant added security will make sporting events unpleasant to watch or participate in. You mostly fly because you need to but you don't need to watch or participate in events. So there will be less spectators and participants. If someone wants to do something they will always be able to find the weakest parts to attack.

[Common Sense Party]

31. Economic stimulus

by hook or by crook.

[Bluenorthwest]

32. Eugene is not a little town, it is a small city. It's also a very famous location for track

events which are more than slightly important to the ongoing civic image and income. I'd say it would be rather reckless to take no extra precautions. Past marathons have been understaffed and perhaps having enough staff will help. I live near the route and I used to live directly on the route of a much larger city's marathon.

[Common Sense Party]

33. How quickly we forget. It's only been 2 years since the MLK Day attempted bombing.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/20/justice/washington-mlk-bomb-sentencing

There are some sick, sick people out there, and you never know when or why one of them will get the urge to act on one of their twisted ideas.

[The Straight Story]

35. Boston had a ton of security, but it did not help

We have the patriot act, tsa, two wars, etc - and still things like this happen.

It would be nice to know what extra security means and what it will cost.