VIBHA VERMA
vibha@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The 3000-odd Goa police personnel including officers will undergo various physical and behavioural skills training to hone their verbal communication and behaviour approach during the Lusofonia Games, which is scheduled to begin on November 2.
Goa police’s special team is on fast-track to ensure rigorous security arrangements for the games even as the local authorities are battling to complete the infrastructural facilities to host the nine-day event.
“This is in addition to maintaining law and order. Sessions on behavioral management, firing practice, frisking visitors, contingency drills, briefings and rehearsals will be held,” Chief Coordination for Lusofonia Games Cell (Goa Police), SP Vijay Singh told Herald.
The exhaustive on-the-job training program in which the officials will also be taken to the games venues to get familiarized with the schedule, location and other related aspects will be held in the months of September-October.
Some of training sessions like behavioural management will be outsourced but however this is still in the discussion stage.
Lusofonia Games Cell having its office at Altinho has appointed officers to head teams to plan elaborate security indoor and outdoor stadium. At 11 venues ~ six competitive and five non-competitive ~ four teams headed by Superintendent of Police and deputy SPs have already been formed.
“We have already appointed venue commanders and deputy venue commanders for security during the event. Similarly, security in-charges at various centres for the athletes and media are being appointed. Airport and hotels where athletes would stay are also covered under the security plan,” Singh said.
While security at Nehru Stadium in Fatorda where opening and closing ceremonies has been scheduled will be under the supervision of SP Arvind Gawas, Goa University ground at Taleigao and new stadium neat Goa Medical College Bambolim will be headed by SP Brahma Singh. Likewise, Peddem sports ground has been allotted to SP Atmaram Deshpande and beach volleyball venue at Miramar to DySP Umesh Gaonkar. One of the five practice venues – Tilak Maidan at Vasco will be supervised by DySP Mahesh Gaonkar while security at Raia, Benaulim, Nagoa and Cuncolim will be taken care of by Inspector rank officers.
“The venue commanders will periodically conduct inspections of their respective venues and come up with security features. All these will be sent to the organising committee…” he explained.
As of now, the chief coordinator has identified around 1,500 officials and officers for the event while selection process for the remaining is underway. The deployment will be in three shifts, Singh informed.
In addition to the existing staff, the Cell has proposed 25 companies of Central Paramilitary Force to the Ministry of Home Affairs, reply of which is awaited.
