Calgary's Chief of Police says the huge police presence at the World Petroleum Congress was well worth the cost.

Christine Silverberg says the final price tag will be about $2 million. She says that includes overtime, and meals and accommodation for police officers from outside Calgary.

Silverberg says in comparison, the cost of policing the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle was $10 million with $4 million in property damage.

The chief says the police in Calgary were always ahead of the protesters.

"It was very very clear that there was intent to create damage and destruction in this city and it was also very clear we were five steps ahead all the way and it served us very well," said Silverberg. "We were prepared for what was intended and we prevented the worst," she says.

Protesters maintain the police presence was excessive and they had no plans for violence.

Tak Dirks, with the End of Oil Coalition, calls the policing cost " a big waste of tax-payers money to protect the citizens from people exercising their democratic right to protest." There were 1500 police officers patrolling Calgary streets during the Congress. About 200 came from out of the province. Police are still considering charges against some protesters for taking part in a protest rally last Sunday. The protest shut down C-train service for more than 2 hours. Police will be taking a close look at videotapes taken during the protest to determine if charges will be laid.