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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Just weeks ahead of the Olympic Games, police helicopters are grounded, patrol cars are parked and Rio de Janeiros security forces are so pressed for funds that some have to beg for donations of pens, cleaning supplies and even toilet paper, fueling worries about safety at the worlds premier sporting event.Brazil is suffering the worst recession in decades and Rios acting governor has declared a state of financial disaster this month, largely to bolster spending on security as the worlds spotlight turns to the city.How are people going to feel protected in a city without security, Gov. Francisco Dornelles told Rios O Globo newspaper. We can have a great Olympics, but if some steps arent taken, it can be a big failure.Rio state has slashed budgets across the board, including that of the police. Helicopters have been grounded and more than half of the civil polices fleet of cars has been idled in a bid to save on gas. Even officers salaries have been delayed.Angry civil police officers staged a strike on Monday, with one contingent greeting visitors at Rios international airport with a sign reading, in English, Welcome to Hell. Police and firefighters dont get paid; Whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.The cuts have led to a very big crisis in ... the self-esteem of the policemen, said Ilona Szabo, executive director of the Instituto Igarape, a Rio-based security and social issues think tank.Even so, she said the sheer number of officers on the streets should help avoid a major security breech at Olympic sites and in Rios beachfront neighborhoods. Olympic officials insist Rios fiscal problems wont affect security for the games.Some 85,000 police and soldiers -- roughly twice the security contingent at the London Olympics -- are to be deployed during the Aug. 5-21 games, which are expected to draw an estimated 350,000-500,000 foreigners to a city of 12 million people where armed muggings, stray bullets and turf wars between heavily armed drug gangs are routine.Rios civil police, who oversee investigations while the military police handle patrols, acknowledged in a statement that some stations are receiving donated office supplies.In March, the head of the police station here came to me and said she didnt even have paper to print out the incident reports, said Maria Thereza Sombra, an 81-year-old former teacher who heads the neighborhood association in Rios tony Morro da Viuva area. Thats how far weve fallen. Ive never seen it this bad.The recession that saw Brazils economy shrink by 4 percent last year has taken a particularly tough toll on Rio. During the boom years, the state awarded billions in tax exemptions to companies ranging from industrial giants to small-scale jewelry dealers, nightclubs, restaurants and love hotels. Tax revenues sunk further with the fall of oil prices that fund much of the states budget.Local newspapers recently reported that the balance in state coffers had dwindled at one point to around $10,000. The salaries of some state workers are being paid in installments and some retirees are now receiving their pensions months late.Gov. Dornelles last week declared a state of financial disaster that paved the way for 2.9 billion Brazilian real ($860 million) in emergency aid from the federal government. The funds are earmarked for Olympic security -- fanning hopes that the situation of Rios beleaguered police may improve.In the meantime, donations continue to provide a lifeline for some police stations.Sombra said her neighborhood association turned to local residents for help. Nows the time for us all to unite.The association papered buildings with appeals for donations: paper towels, paper clips, pens and even toilet paper.Some people grumbled. They said, `I already pay taxes, so why should I have to go into my pocket again for this? And I say, `If you get carjacked and you need an incident report for your insurance and the cops cant print it, are you going to be worried about your taxes then? Sombra asked.Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso declined multiple requests for an interview. He was quoted in a recent interview in O Globo as saying, Were at the limit of our operational capacity, and I cant discard the possibility of a collapse.Theres no way to avoid thinking about more cuts, and these cuts will impact our final product, which is serving the population, he said, adding, Weve had to revise everything, even our operations during the Olympic Games.Beth Penna Pereira, a psychologist from Rios high-end Leblon neighborhood, experienced the cuts first hand when her purse was stolen at a neighborhood bakery. When she went to the local precinct to report the incident she left empty-handed.We dont have paper for the incident report. None of the printers are working ... We havent received any supplies for a while, she recalled the officer saying.Im feeling more insecure, more unprotected, more helpless, she said. Josh Oliver Jersey . 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ATLANTA -- In just his third day on the job, Georgia Techs new athletic director made it clear hes a big fan of football coach Paul Johnson.Todd Stansbury, who took over at his alma mater this week, erased any doubts about Johnsons future with a glowing endorsement Wednesday.Stansbury was especially impressed by the final game of the regular season, as Georgia Tech rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to beat rival Georgia 28-27 in Athens. It was the third straight victory for the Yellow Jackets, pushing them to 8-4 and likely improving their bowl prospects.To me, that was a heck of a statement, said Stansbury, who attended Saturdays game. To go between the hedges -- I dont care who you are -- to win a game down there tells you a lot about where youre at.Stansbury also praised basketball coach Josh Pastner, who is in his first season of what will admittedly be a major rebuilding job. Pastner, who previously coached at Memphis State, was hired by the previous athletic director, Mike Bobinski, who left for the same job at Purdue.Hes a dynamo, Stansbury said about Pastner. In fact, in a lot of ways, he reminds me of a young Bobby Cremins, a reference to the longtime Georgia Tech coach who took the program to national prominence after it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference.Johnsons job security was questioned after the Yellow Jackets slumped to 3-9 last season, and the speculation intensified this year amid a three-game losing streak that knocked them out of ACC contention. But, if Stansbury was having any doubts about the coach, they were answered by the strong finish.In nine seasons at Georgia Tech, Johnson has a record of 69-48, which includes three trips to the ACC championship game, two appearances in the Orange Bowl and a 42-30 mark in conference play.Stansbury said his respect for Johnson goes beyond his record.Nobody out there wants to play us. That also tells you a lot about the state of the program and the fear that opposing coaches have of our head coach, the new AD said. I think we have a great coach that is known nationally for what he does, and hes had a lot of success here.dddddddddddd My goal, and what I hope to bring to the table, is to help provide him what he needs to continue to build on that success and compete at the highest level.For all his success, Johnson has been a polarizing figure at Georgia Tech.Only a handful of schools use the run-oriented, triple-option offense that is the coachs specialty -- making it a convenient target of fans and media who believe the team should employ a more conventional system. Also, Johnson comes across as abrasive and downright snippy at times, which has rubbed plenty of people the wrong way.Stansbury said hes not the least bit concerned about the triple-option, noting that Johnson has used it to win consistently throughout his career. Pointedly, he noted that in his previous job as Oregon States athletic director, he got an up-close look at the wide-open style of rival Oregon, which carried the Ducks all the way to the national championship game two seasons ago. This year, they plummeted to 4-8 and fired coach Mark Helfrich.If youre winning, I love your offense, Stansbury said. Having just come from Oregon -- where they have the wildest offense in America, an offense that everybody aspired to become for the last decade -- right now they dont like that offense.As for Johnsons personality, Stansbury said thats an area where he can help smooth out some of the rough edges. He intends to spend plenty of time with boosters and fans, pointing out all the positive things happening in the football program -- on and off the field.Its a tough job, Stansbury said. A lot of people only understand what happens on Saturday, what goes across the ticker. Typically, they dont know whats going on the other six days a week. Thats where I can help. ... My job is filling in the blanks of what those things are, regardless of any differences or likability. The proof is in the pudding. These are the results were getting. A lot of young men are benefiting immensely from life-changing benefits. ' ' '