Access Control
& Security Systems

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft took a break to go skiing last week -- down the mountainsides that will play host to the winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. While watching out for trees and other obstacles going down the mountain, Ashcroft was thinking about security.

"Securing an entire mountainside is more difficult than protecting a building, and that is part of the reason Ashcroft wanted a close-up look at alpine venues," Justice Department spokesperson Lori McMahon told The Associated Press.

In addition to the downhill skiing venues, Ashcroft also visited Utah Olympic Park, where the bobsled and luge will take place. A venue security official informed Ashcroft that the sledding track was surrounded by a 6.5-mile security zone.

The Attorney General also met with representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, the agency that will be patrolling the mountainsides of the downhill skiing venue.

"It's great to see the progress," Ashcroft commented.

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