Policing the Olympics

The reputation of the police may be as black as mud at the moment, but the Met has a chance to atone during the Olympics. Security forces have been making their preparations as the Olympic construction site nears completion.  In May, police officers, counter-intelligence officials and the emergency services conducted their first major security exercise. Further stress tests are being undertaken on local transport routes and waterways. And permanent surveillance of Olympic venues is being established; in future, visitors to these sites will be subject to airport-style security and a number of armed officers will patrol the area. Nothing, it seems, is being left to chance.

These operations are being delivered amid a background of spending cuts. Ed Balls, when shadow home secretary, criticised the decision to cut funds to the Olympics security budget and the Metropolitan police, which amount to an estimated £355 million. Labour has continued on this line, using the Olympics as part of its national strategy to outflank the coalition from the right on law and order.