Integrated Security Unit (ISU) (French: Groupe intégré de la sécurité - GIS) is a joint-services infrastructure security unit created to secure major events in Canada. This administrative and operational entity was first created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 2003.
The 13th World Police and Fire Games was held at Metro Vancouver in the Summer of 2009. For the protection of international athletes and due to the presence of firearms in competition, importation of pharmaceutical products, and other restricted articles under Canadian law, the BC2009WPFGISU was formed to integrate all regulatory function.[1]
The initial Integrated Security Unit was established in 2003. It was led by RCMP Chief Superintendent Bob Harriman until mid-2007 when Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer was appointed to the Chief Operating Officer position.[2]
As an RCMP (mainly by the RCMP "E" Division) initiative, it was headquartered at 11411 No. 5 Road in Richmond.
The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (V2010 ISU or VISU) was initially started with a budget of $175 million CAD, the final expenditure was over $900 million.[3] Private security cost $100 million.[4]
The unit consisted of approximately 16,000 police, military and private security personnel.[5][6] It consisted members of:
4800 private security screeners (Contemporary International (United States), United Protection Security Group (Canada), and Aeroguard (Canada)),[4][5][7][15]
The unit was scaled down to 750 local RCMP officers, 500 military personnel and less than 6000 private security personnel for the Paralympic Games.[15]
Toronto Police and the OPP focused on providing policing at the G-20 summit site in downtown Toronto and immediate security zone. As for Pearson Airport, the Canadian Forces and Peel Police focused their protection within the airport and areas around the airport perimeter. For the G8 Summit in Huntsville, the OPP, the RCMP and the Canadian Forces provided the main security coverage.
The 1600 out of town police units (non-GTA) in Toronto consists of: