Prior to last night’s closing ceremony, the Home Secretary was accompanied on her visit by LOCOG chairman Lord Coe and Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Chris Allison.
May toured the venue, including the Park Operations Centre – the hub of the security operation from where every inch of the Olympic Park has been monitored across banks of screens.
The Home Secretary then met police officers from a number of different forces and thanked them for the vital role they have played in making London 2012 a safe, secure and memorable Olympic Games.
“This has been the biggest ever peacetime policing operation and the police service has done a fantastic job,” enthused May. “There’s been hugely positive feedback from the public.”
Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centres
Last Friday, policing minister Nick Herbert visited a Police Briefing Centre to thank officers for their hard work in delivering a safe and secure Olympic Games.
The minister was met by assistant commissioner Chris Allison at the Battersea Power Station Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre.
Thousands of officers have passed through the centre every day to prepare for Olympic Games shifts.
Nick Herbert said: “The Olympic Games is showcasing the best of British – and that includes the police service. Over the past fortnight our police officers have shown why they are the finest in the world, whether through their friendly engagement with the public or working quietly behind the scenes keeping the rest of the Capital safe.”
“We must not let our guard down”
Although the Games have now drawn to a close, the Paralympics are still to come and, according to Herbert: “We must not let our guard down.”
He referred to the Olympics policing as an “exceptional operation so far”.
Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centres are temporary, purpose-built structures designed to support large numbers of officers for comparatively short periods of time.
They’re a tried-and-tested way of marshalling and briefing large numbers of police officers simultaneously and have previously been used for other large-scale events such as the Notting Hill Carnival.
Comment from the national Olympic security co-ordinator
On the conclusion of the policing operation for the Olympic Games, assistant commissioner Chris Allison said: “This has been an absolutely fantastic Olympic Games, with the focus entirely on the sport which is exactly how we wanted it. The strength of the partnership that was built over so many years has got to be a factor in why things have gone so well.
“I am exceptionally proud of the way that the police service has stepped up to the mark and been a part of delivering an Olympic Games that has caught the imagination of the public.
“We were able to show the police service at its absolute best, our officers enjoying their interactions with the public while still working hard to keep everyone safe. I’ve seen first hand the response to our officers, not just in the Olympic Park but across London, and we have been touched by the public’s warm response.
“Officers are human, too, and we also got swept up in Olympic fever. The sport has been magnificent and we have marvelled at the fantastic performances of the athletes.
“The hard work is not over, though. We now have to deliver the Notting Hill Carnival, normally our largest annual event, the Paralympic Torch Relay, the Paralympic Opening Ceremony and then eleven days of Paralympic sport. Our operation has weeks left to run, and will use up to 7,000 officers on peak days.”
In conclusion, Allison stated: “The warmth of the public and the pride in having been a part of this fabulously organised and delivered event will help us keep up the hard work.”
Lord Coe and General Richards thank Armed Forces for Olympics effort
Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, and LOCOG chairman Lord Coe visited Armed Forces personnel based at Hainault in Essex to thank them for their ongoing efforts in support of delivering a safe and secure Olympic Games.
Lord Coe took the opportunity to show his appreciation for the military’s contribution on behalf of Games organisers and the general public.
More than 3,000 servicemen and women are based in Hainault, drawn from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force to provide security at Olympic Games venues. These have included the Olympic Park and other sites around London.
General Richards said: “As a soldier myself, I know that service demands often come before personal plans. Many sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines have delayed time with friends and family this summer to help support the London 2012 Games. They have performed their various roles admirably and I’m very proud of their professional approach to providing a safe and secure Games. Her Majesty’s Armed Forces are renowned for being the most professional in the world. Together with our athletes we have helped the UK showcase the best of Britain.”
He also said: “I acknowledge the friends and families of the men and women deployed to the Olympics. Their support has, indirectly, contributed to the magnificent success of London 2012.”
Lord Coe explained: “Our heartfelt thanks go to the men and women who stepped up to work shoulder-to-shoulder with us to deliver an effective, seamless and well-regarded security operation. We have had a great response from our spectators on the service provided by our Armed Forces, and I want each and every one of them to know the nation is proud of them and so very grateful to them.”