Haverford Twp. Police Review Security Plans For US Open Following Boston Bombings
By Todd Quinones
HAVERFORD Twp., Pa., (CBS) - What happened in Boston is forcing law enforcement to take another look at their security plans for the U.S. Open in June.
The historic Merion Golf Club will soon host one of golf's most prestigious championships, the U.S. Open.
But the ripple effects from what unfolded in Boston on Monday carry additional concern for law enforcement.
Haverford Township Deputy Police Chief John Viola has already started to take action in preparation for the open which starts June 10th.
"Into late last night we were having conference calls and talking to our group here and talking to the United States Golf Association to see if we have to do anything, or what we should do," said Viola.
"If we didn't worry about 25 to 30,000 people a day we would be foolish," he said.
The USGA already had tight security restrictions in place prior to Monday.
Spectators will have to go through magnetometers at controlled entry points.
No cell phone or large packs will be allowed.
And containers or coolers will be prohibited except for medical or infant needs.
To be clear, there's been no threats made and USGA officials are confident the proper security measures are being taken citing the tournaments long standing partnerships with law enforcement.
However, in a statement the USGA says:
"In light of the incidents at the Boston marathon, we are reviewing our security measures in partnership with these agencies to determine if additional security measures are necessary."
For runners preparing for the upcoming Broad Street Run on May 5th and the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure a week later, what happened in Boston has left the undeterred.
Unlike the two upcoming races, the U.S. Open very rarely happens locally so Haverford Township Police have gone to the past two U.S. Open's to get an idea of the security measures required.
