British Transport Police to be armed with guns to counter terror threat

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Senior officers have called for armed transport police to be able to patrol the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s railway network.

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) Chief Constable Andrew Trotter has asked the government to amend the 1968 Firearms Act to allow the move.

He told ministers the terror security threat was likely to remain at the "severe" level until the 2012 Olympics.

BTP said a security review was under way but it "would not be appropriate" to comment in depth on the proposals.

Transport officers currently need to call in the local constabulary if an armed operation is needed.

Should the changes go ahead, BTP would have the same powers to carry guns as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).

BTP introduced Taser stun guns for 295 officers across England and Wales last year after a pilot scheme in three cities.

Scotland Yard Acting Deputy Commissioner John Yates has called for police to be issued with more powerful weapons.

A BTP spokesman said: "The government has said that its number one priority is the protection of its citizens. We are continually reviewing how we go about our work to prevent terrorist attacks and are discussing a range of security options around crowded places. These include railway stations and the Underground. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this point."

Earlier this month, the terrorism threat level specific to major UK transport hubs including airports and London railway terminals was raised from "substantial" to "severe".

There have been concerns in recent months over the possibility of Mumbai-style gun attacks in Europe, with terrorists targeting a major railway station or shopping centre.

The official threat level to the UK as a whole remains where it has been for the past year at the second-highest level, "severe", meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely.

[SDS]

Great. Home Office Police rejects getting guns, no thanks. It is common for people to try for City of London Police, get rejected then go to Met, get rejected and then get accepted by BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).

[inspector_blakey]

Hmm. Can't say I'd wholeheartedly support this idea either given the number of BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) officers over the last few years who have demonstrated an apparent ignorance of basics like the absence of laws which prohibit photography on railway property... Ignorant and armed is unlikely to be a good combination.

[Tim]

Are we talking about routine arming or just the ability of an elite group of officers to be armed in response to a speciifc terrorist threat? 

If it is the latter there is the further problem that the powers that be will prioritise BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) officers to carry out armed patrols of central London stations, which will only lessen further the number of officers available to carry out less glamourous (but equally important) jobs like protecting passengers from yobs at stations late at night or assisting guards in danger of assult as they try to check some yob's ticket. 

[Electric train]

Any BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) officer would have to undertake the same fire arms assessment as all other police officers, I personally know a number of armed officers the selection process they have to go through is not easy and they are subject to regular assessment.  I would guess that BTP may have to recruit more officers. 

This is all however just a regular review by the Home Office the assessment more than likely will say that the current arrangements are satisfactory.

[Tim]

I would guess that BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) may have to recruit more officers. 

The governements is unlikely to increase the numbers of "ordinary" policemen (the ones that they pay for).  It is my fear that they will be tempted to increase the number of BTP because they are paid for by the rail industry and then use some of the new BTP officers to do the Met's job.

The BTP is paid for by the rail industry.  It is there to deal with railway crime (luggage theft, robbery, assualts on staff, ticket fraud, cable theft. trespass etc), not primarily terrorism.   The air industry gets its anti-terrorism policing for free as delivered by the teritorial police forces.  Shouldn't the same principles apply to the rail industry.

   

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Armed teams of British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) are to start patrolling the railways and London Underground to counter terrorism.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said they would be "deployed as appropriate in response to the terrorism threat level at any given time".

Armed police from other forces already patrol stations and trains.

Mr Hammond said the news was not a result of any specific threat and would "enhance" police operations.

In a Commons statement on Tuesday, Mr Hammond said by training BTP officers to carry out armed patrolling of the rail network it "equipped them with a capability already available to other forces".

'Protecting the public'

He said it would not be a daily event to see weapons at stations and they would be deployed "according to operational need".

"The government has been considering the resilience of the overall police armed capability and has concluded that it would be beneficial to enhance this by providing the BTP with an armed capability of its own. The timing of this is not as a result of any specific threat, it is a sensible and pragmatic approach to ensuring that our police forces have the right resources to be able to respond as and when needed to protect the public," he said.

BTP Chief Constable Andy Trotter said: "I welcome the decision for British Transport Police to have armed officers at mainline stations during times of heightened threat of terrorist attack. BTP officers have an excellent working knowledge of the railway which will enable them to respond quickly to any incidents."

Mr Hammond told the Commons his department would continue continue to work with the BTP and others to assess its effectiveness and impact.

Armed officers are expected to be deployed mainly in London and will be focused primarily on the busy transport hubs.

Out of London, the BTP will liaise with local police forces to ensure co-operation in advance of any deployment.

[Tim]

Not sure what I think about this.  I see a danger that the force (which is paid for by the rail industry) will be used to protect society as a whole from terrorist threats not of the rail induustry's making rather than serving the industry and their customers by dealing with more prosaic matters like cable theft, ticket fraud, luggage theft, amd assults on guards and passengers.
 

[tramway]

Am I having a bit of a senior moment, but wasn't this proposed a while ago.

Gricers beware. 

[Brucey]

Yes, I believe it was proposed a while ago: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=8298.0

[Chris from Nailsea]

Topics now merged here.