Posted on 02/06/2007 10:38:17 AM PST by blam
Armed US police could be on London streets
By Brendan Carlin and John Steele
Last Updated: 10:01am GMT 06/02/2007
Armed foreign police could patrol the streets of London during the 2012 Olympics under an unprecedented scenario outlined by one of Scotland Yard’s most senior officers.
Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, the man in charge of security preparations for the Games and Britain’s most senior Muslim police officer, also raised the prospect of British troops being drafted in to help with the huge security challenges.
Security experts are privately debating how to protect the Olympics from terror attacks from Islamic extremist “jihadi” terrorists in London, especially in the wake of the 7/7 terrorist atrocities in London in which four British-born jihadi suicide bombers killed 52 people.
US and Israeli athletes would be among the principal potential terrorist targets, raising questions over whether the FBI and Israeli police would be allowed to operate in London.
Mr Ghaffur’s comments come amid predictions from the Conservatives that the security bill for the giant 2012 event could be as much as £1bn.
But last night, the possibility of using both armed foreign police and British forces appeared to catch the Department of Culture, Media and Sport by surprise last night. A DCMS spokesman declined to comment.
But the Tories reacted with fury to any suggestion of using UK troops or police officers from another country.
Hugh Robertson, the party’s Olympics spokesman, told The Daily Telegraph: “In my view, this is a job for the British police and solely for the British police.”
Mr Robertson, who served with the Life Guards in Northern Ireland, the Gulf and Bosnia, also ridiculed the idea that after Labour’s “infantry cutbacks”, there were any spare British troops in any case.
Tessa Jowell, the Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, has already admitted that in the light of the 7/7 terrorist attacks, the £190 million budget for Olympics security was “inadequate”.
Mr Robertson said yesterday: “Every security expert I have spoken to has said that the final bill will be closer to £1 billion.”
At the weekend, government sources indicated that the final security bill and by implication, the full security arrangements, would probably not be known for years.
But in an interview today with the Parliamentary Monitor, Mr Ghaffur raised the precedent of British police officers serving in Germany during the 2006 World Cup as one way of coping with the huge security challenge.
The Scotland Yard officer, who has a reputation for speaking his mind, said: “We may have to change some constitutional positions, like, do we bring in some foreign police officers to work here like they did in Germany.
“Do we have armed officers accepted from other countries?”
Mr Ghaffur added: “In Germany, use of foreign officers to actually control and provide tactical or cultural advice to local police was very successful.
“I don’t think we should shy away from that. In a global environment, a capital city, international policing is a global family.”
He stressed that there need to be a “public discussion” about using armed police from abroad, before suggesting that Britain’s own Armed Forces might also have a role to play.
“To ensure we manage all contingencies, frankly, then the role, the support that the military and others can give us have to be considered as part of the planning,” he said.
Mr Ghaffur indicated, though, that the military’s contribution would be in the background – not visibly on the streets.
“What I am reasonably sure of is that I am not looking for the military visibly at the moment. I am not looking for them visibly complementing our effort – it may be slightly different in China,” he added, in a reference to the 2008 Beijing Games.
But he stressed the need for public approval, saying: “The starting point is always we police with the consent and co-operation of the community.”
Last night, Scotland Yard insisted that Mr Ghaffur was merely raising the issue of foreign policing for debate. The issues, particularly using armed officers, were “very much up in the air” and ultimately a political decision, a spokesman said.
The use of unarmed English officers in Germany for the World Cup, to re-assure law-abiding fans and spot trouble-makers, was regarded as a success.
However, police sources predicted that allowing gun-carrying officers into London from nations where all officers are armed could raise significant legal issues.
The use of firearms in the UK is ruled by the legal principle of “reasonable force.” Any outside officers would have to apply by British law.
The Olympic Delivery Authority will today formally submit planning applications for the giant Olympic Park at Stratford, east London.
I've got no problem with armed US police in Britain.
I'm a bit worried though about the plague of armed and dangerous female astronauts in the US - at least 300 of them if the thread count is anything to go by. Would they be coming over too?
Can't they just call Dr. Who or something?
Just tell the Tory complainer that the NYPD officers are actually from Gotham.
And what kind of support would the U.S. policeman receive afterwards if he actually had to shoot somebody.
Sounds like a very treacherous assignment. Not one that I would take.
Israel will just send 500 Mossad assassins to keep an eye on them (from the thread count of the dead Iranian nuke scientist).
Most of our armed female astronauts are quite benign. As usual, the few give a bad name to the many.
This is the biggest story in Houston since the cheerleader mom hired a hit man for the rival cheerleader mom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Holloway
"But he stressed the need for public approval, saying: “The starting point is always we police with the consent and co-operation of the community.” "
Yeah right; I think we get what we're given.
They will arrive from space as needed.
Those were my thoughts as well. We would be nuts to approve of such an arrangement. Europe sits on its hands waiting for something to go wrong so they can blame the US one more time for all of the ills of the world.
UK ping.
from moonraker
"I've got no problem with armed US police in Britain. "
How would you feel about armed Mexican police on the streets of America? We shouldn't be doing this.
Deja Vu with a new twist. We had to send them rifles in WWII to protect themselves, now that they have forgotten how to defend themselves we have to send our Cops. And the wussies want us to become like them. Lawdy lawdy, mercy me.
Well, I would have a problem with British police on the streets of the US.
What a bunch of idiots.
Actually that has happened. There are exchange programs. A few years back there was a human intrest story in the Cincinnati Enquirer about an English policeman who spent a month (I think) patroling the streets in Cincinnati. He was partnered with a Cincinati policeman. He did not carry a firearm, which he never did anyway, but otherwise was in his normal uniform.
It would be a bad idea to send US police officers to London. The experience would not benefit our Liberties. The British would be better off using their army and naval forces, or, asking Canada, Australia and NZ for police support (since Queen Elizabeth is also Queen of Canada, Australia and NZ)
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