| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
|
| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
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Courts quiet during Games — so far
But all agencies are still wary and on the alert
By Linda Thomson
Deseret News staff writer
They cut their calendars as much as possible, stayed on call in case of mass arrests, braced for the unexpected and planned — just in case — for the worst.
So far, the worst hasn't happened, and judges, court clerks and law enforcement employees say — with fingers crossed — that things have run smoothly.
"It's been very quiet here," said 3rd District Judge Robin Reese, who headed a subcommittee that prepared the courts for the Olympics.
While on the bench during the Olympics, he has heard routine matters primarily involving people who were already in jail before the Winter Games began.
"Nothing out of the ordinary has come to my attention," Reese said, adding that he can't speak for every judge but can relate what happened in his courtroom along with anecdotal information he's heard from others. "Overall, I think everything has gone exceptionally well and all the planning has paid off."
On a recent weekday in Murray satellite court, 3rd District Judge Bruce Lubeck doled out a suspended prison sentence to a local woman who had forged checks to buy crack cocaine; advised a young man who had violated his probation by smoking marijuana that he didn't qualify for a public defender; sentenced another man on a drug-related charge and handled other cases, all apparently involving local residents and the types of cases ordinarily heard in local courts.
In short, it seemed to be business as usual.
There have been arrests connected with the Olympics (many court employees define an "Olympic-related" case as something that happens in an Olympic venue), but these seem primarily to be one-person situations.
There are a few exceptions: Two women were arrested for trying to drive onto the Ice Sheet in Ogden, injuring four police officers, and in a separate incident, five women were arrested near Rice-Eccles Stadium after failing to obey police orders to stay on their permitted protest route.
However, the huge violent protests that have marked World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle and Geneva have not materialized here.
"As far as I'm aware, things have been relatively calm and well organized. People have been law-abiding and following the rules," said Sgt. Shane Hudson of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department. "Things are going great as far as we're concerned, but we're keeping our fingers crossed."
Hudson cautioned that, despite the quiet nature of the Olympics to date, all law enforcement agencies still are wary and on alert.
"I'm proud of the effort that has been given by all law enforcement personnel, by citizens and volunteers. The whole thing to this point has been a great, great experience," Hudson said. "But we're not letting our guard down in any way."
E-MAIL: lindat@desnews.com
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February 22, 2002
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