MANNY GARCIA

 More than half of Miami-Dade's police force is expected to be posted today at key
 county facilities to prevent trouble should Elian Gonzalez leave Miami to reunite with
 his father.

 More than 200 uniformed officers were told to report to Opa-locka Airport, in case Elian
 flies out of there today. Hundreds of other officers are assigned to keep traffic flowing
 at Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami-Dade, two of South Florida's
 biggest economic and tourism engines.

 The police deployment would be the largest since the Summit of the Americas in 1994
 and one normally reserved for visiting presidents or natural disasters, like Hurricane
 Andrew in 1992.

 At least 1,500 of Miami-Dade's 3,000 sworn officers will be involved in the operation.

 ``We don't mobilize too often,'' said Pat Brickman, a Miami-Dade Police
 spokesman. ``It's been a long time. It's expensive. Our job is to keep the major
 arteries open, the airport, the port.''

 Joining Miami-Dade Police: hundreds of law enforcement officers from Miami
 Beach, Miami and federal agencies, including the Immigration and Naturalization
 Service and FBI.

 Law enforcement quickly moved Wednesday to cancel vacations and days off
 after it became clear the Justice Department wanted Elian's Miami relatives to
 bring the boy to Opa-locka at 10 a.m.

 Wednesday afternoon, Attorney General Janet Reno hopped a jet for Miami to try
 to personally persuade the Miami family to let Elian join his father. Brickman said
 the county would help federal agents escort the child to Opa-locka if the
 government asked for its aid.

 Officers assigned to crowd control said they are prepared for the worst -- violent
 demonstrations -- but hoping for the best -- a peaceful resolution and rain.

 ``The rains will calm things down and keep people home,'' said a Miami-Dade
 Police supervisor assigned to crowd control. The supervisor declined to be
 named, saying the Elian issue is so sensitive that the department has ordered
 officers not to give the press or demonstrators an opinion on the Elian issue.

 Miami-Dade Police have been on the defensive since Mayor Alex Penelas
 accused the federal government of provoking civil unrest over Elian and said local
 police would not help repatriate Elian to Cuba. Penelas has since emphasized
 that police will not tolerate violence or disruption.

 Brickman said the department has ordered extra tow trucks, jail buses,
 paramedic and firefighting crews.

 ``It has always been our mandate to protect the public and keep public
 conveyances open like the airport, roadways,'' Brickman said.

 On Miami Beach, the police and Mayor Neisen Kasdin vowed to keep order in
 that city, where Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin opened her Pine Tree Drive home to
 Reno, Elian and his Miami relatives on Wednesday.

 Kasdin said the only street closure would be along Pine Tree Drive between 47th
 and 51st streets.

 Miami Beach police got a trial run on crowd control in January when O'Laughlin
 hosted Elian's grandmothers when they met with Elian on a trip to the United
 States.

 ``The beach is viewed by many people as neutral grounds where the rights of all
 parties, the demonstrators, the family and the government are protected,'' Kasdin
 said. ``This is one place where Elian could be moved, with a lesser likelihood of
 an incident.''

 Miami Beach police spokesman Al Boza said at least 80 city officers were
 assigned Wednesday to keep peace around O'Laughlin's house. Boza said all
 on-duty detectives were told to change from civilian dress into uniforms and report
 to O'Laughlin's neighborhood.

 ``We're taking no role whatsoever with what happens inside the home,'' Boza
 emphasized. ``Our biggest concern would be the crowds.''

 Boza said if the crowd grows on the Beach, so will the number of officers.

 At least for one day, the scene shifted from the City of Miami and the Little
 Havana neighborhood where Elian has lived since his rescue on Thanksgiving Day
 by two fishermen.

 The crowds have been heaviest and most tense in Miami, where exiles have
 rallied for Elian to remain in Miami. Earlier demonstrations led to arrests.

 ``What we've gotten is a temporary reprieve with everything shifting to Miami
 Beach,'' Miami Police spokesman Delrish Moss said.

 As of late Wednesday, Moss said, no extra police had been called to duty.

 The Florida Highway Patrol said Wednesday evening that it will also make sure
 that traffic on major expressways flows smoothly today.

 ``Our mission is to maintain an orderly flow of traffic and we won't tolerate anyone
 trying to disrupt the traffic system down there,'' said Maj. Ken Howes, spokesman
 for Tallahassee headquarters of the Florida Highway Patrol.

 Herald staff writers Joseph Tanfani, Phil Long and Ana Acle contributed to this
 report.

                     Copyright 2000 Miami Herald