The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner in charge of security at the Olympics has insisted the public will take away the impression of being policed by “traditional British bobbies” despite the fact that 13,500 military personnel will be involved.
After completing the latest in a series of training exercises on the river Thames with the Royal Marines to practice dealing with potential terrorist threats, the national Olympic security co-ordinator, Chris Allison, said he was satisfied that there would not be an overbearing military presence.
Around 5,000 military personnel will assist the police and a further 7,500 will be on duty inside Olympic venues after organisers increased the overall number of security guards required from 10,000 to 23,700.
Last month, the London 2012 chairman, Lord Coe, promised that London would not feel like a “siege city” during the Games.
Major Paul Stitson, of the Royal Marines 539 Assault Squadron, said around 100 Marines would be deployed during the Games. He said they had been studying previous terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai bombings, to prepare for the Games. “It’s an area of water we don’t know very well. We’ve got the capabilities, we’ve got the skills, we just need the time to prepare,” he said. “We always prepare for the unknown.”
