Private Security Firm Training Local Security For NATO/G8 Demonstrations
By aaroncynic in News on Feb 3, 2012 8:00PM
Security forces in Chicago are receiving special tactical training in the build-up to the NATO/G8 summits in May, Fox Chicago reports. A company out of Elburn, Ill., called Controlled Force—which provides training for law enforcement, the military and civilians—is working with local security forces to control crowds and “potential rioters.” Tony Grano, an instructor who trained police and United States Marines will instruct law enforcement and other security on “Mach training,” a technique to disable, handcuff and remove demonstrators without weapons.
[Protesters] need to be handled with kid gloves, but there's a job that still needs to be done, and that is to maintain order. Back in the old days when we used to do this, somebody started coming to help during a fight started jumping in, gets their two seconds in. That isn’t fine today. There are video cameras, cell phones, so you have to be careful.
Echoing Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce president Jerry Roper's worries about demonstrations affecting downtown businesses, Kim Castro of a company called Beacon Operations Security told Fox that businesses should update their insurance policies and have emergency plans in place.