Coleman believed that worrywarts overstated the time and effort required to protect visitors. His strategy would be far simpler, he explained to Maples and others; he would just wait until about six months before the Games, then instruct police chiefs: “All right, this is your responsibility; this is your venue. I want you to make it safe like you would a sporting event. … Now run that son of a bitch and call me when you get a problem.”
