London 2012: Police warn over Olympic security
22/06/2007 |
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The board set up to plan the 2012 London Olympics is "not fit for purpose" in regard to security issues, a senior police officer has said.
Richard Bryan, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said decision-making by the Olympic Board is slow and convoluted.
He has asked for police to have a "primary voice" on the board.
Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said officials are considering new legislation for Olympic security.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bryan said: "The people who are involved in the Games are not privy to the environment that we are operating in.
"Decision-making is too slow and too convoluted."
Act of Parliament
Although a huge amount of security planning has already taken place for the event, he said of the Olympic Board: "At the moment we do not think it is fit for purpose, and on resilience issues we do not think that it is properly engaged."
The Met commissioner needs to sit alongside the Home Secretary at the top of the decision-making network to ensure security is a key priority, added Mr Bryan, who is director of operations in the Met's Olympic Security Directorate.
Assistant commissioner Ghaffur also revealed at the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) annual conference in Manchester that officials are considering drawing up a new Act of Parliament to govern Olympics security.
Mr Ghaffur said: "If there is a requirement to create a new Act then it will be something we will look at."
The Met has already gathered a huge amount of detail on the areas surrounding the London Olympic venues, including aerial photographs and other geographical data so that police cordons and evacuation routes can be drawn up in advance.
A security programme is due to be agreed by September so that detailed exercises and other preparation can take place, Mr Ghaffur added.
The London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympics declined to comment on Mr Bryan's remarks.
(Source: BBC.co.uk)
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