Savannah, Ga. ? New Jersey professor Trent Schroyer’s advocacy group prefers round-table discussions to street protests. But when the group rented a conference hall for use during next month’s G-8 summit of world leaders, the police took notice.

Savannah detectives visited the real estate office that rented out the hall to look at the group’s contract. They also made calls inquiring about the hall’s owners and the Georgia professor who signed the rental agreement.

“We have never had this degree of surveillance,” said Schroyer, president of TOES, or The Other Economic Summit, and a professor of sociology and philosophy at Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. “I have no affiliation with any groups dangerous to the country in any way — unless rational discourse is a real threat.”

With President Bush and other leaders of the world’s economic superpowers coming June 8-10 to secluded Sea Island, 80 miles south of Savannah, for the Group of 8 summit, sweeping security preparations are under way — including the gathering of intelligence on dissent groups that are planning workshops, protests or other gatherings.

Some people have accused the police of spying and employing McCarthy-era intimidation tactics against groups that are no threat to them.

But police say given the violent demonstrations that upset the 1999 World Trade Organization talks in Seattle, they cannot afford to overlook any G-8 protest groups, no matter how peaceful they appear.

“This is the largest event that’s ever going to come to this city in my lifetime, and we can’t stand by and assume an event is going to be a nonevent,” said Capt. Gerry Long, who is in charge of G-8 planning for Savannah police.

Marching through public parks in riot gear, police have drilled in anticipation of thousands of protesters in Savannah, the host city for 5,000 international delegates and journalists during the summit. More protesters are expected in Brunswick, the nearest mainland city to Sea Island.

The Secret Service will be in charge of security during the summit.