Coast Guard to train at Cedar Point

Thought this was quite interesting....

http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/news/stories/20021106/localnews/315204.html

------------------
Gemini 100 - 35

I like the whole "Operation Demon Drop"

I seriously can't understand why anyone would terrorize (sp?) Cedar Point? It the world's Rockin' Roller Coast.

------------------
Feel the Beat

Theres a lot of people at Cedar Point during the summer. So it is a huge target to hurt innocent people. I tink its highly unlikely, but still a potential threat. I would think Disney World would be in more of a danger. But its nice to see that the coast guard are thinking of potential terrorism places.--------------------"Evil"-lution

well cp would be an ideal target...as its in the heartland, lots of unsuspecting, especially vulnerable people (unarmed as well), location is easily cut off (works both ways though), a variety of ethnic groups patronize the park so your garden variety middle easterner (or rurual south dakota white supremecist for that matter) would be able to blend in, approach from the sea would be fairly simple, escape abit more difficult...im surprised the cp did not employ metal detectors in their parks....this is a real liability issue as well

Ok, let's say Cedar Point puts a metal detector at the front gate. I go in unarmed while my buddy drives around Perimeter Road and tosses a weapon over the fence. Or, same buddy could toss it to me from the boardwalk area, or the Gemini parking lot, or the vehicle bridge over the Soak City entrance, or near Blue Streak, etc.........................

See the problem here?

Not only that, but could you imagine the lines at the entrance while everyone empties their pockets before passing through the detectors? "Please arrive 2 hours before the park opens."

------------------
17 straight years of real thrills and counting...

Metal detectors at amusement parks are there to try to curb urban violence, gangs and such, it was never an anti terrorist weapon. There is little point in having metal detectors at CP. The park has a large police dept. and takes lots of measures to ensure a safe environment, metal detectors would detract from the atmosphere of the park while doing little to improve security.

------------------
Florida may have Disneyworld and Key West,
but Ohio has Cedar Point and Put-In-Bay.
It's great to live in Ohio!

A more detailed article can be found in today's Plain Dealer here

------------------
Florida may have Disneyworld and Key West,
but Ohio has Cedar Point and Put-In-Bay.
It's great to live in Ohio!

and most police can spot someone who is packing...if you have ever been to a pro-football game alot of them have metal detectors and no real slowdown...there were alot of police this year it seemed...just fine with me

There have been several threads arguing about the metal detector issue over on Coasterbuzz including this one!. I'm part of the camp that says there is little point in having them. They provide perceived safety and little more as evidenced by Chief Wahoo's example. Unless they build 50 foot concrete walls around the park too, someone who wants to get a weapon in is going to get it in. I believe it is better to have a larger police force throughout the park to deal with potential situations rather than having all of them standing at the gates mindlessly staring at metal detectors.

-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew
*** This post was edited by MDOmnis 11/11/2002 6:27:44 PM ***