We police and protect the rail network across
Britain including the London Underground, DLR, the Glasgow Subway
and some tram services. Today, the Government officially announced
it has given permission for BTP to develop a firearms capability.
This is an important enhancement to our current policing
capabilities as the deployment of armed officers on patrol will
increase security at stations, act as a deterrent to terrorism and
is a significant step in building resilience amongst the UK police
service generally.
The following is a list of questions and
answers to provide you with information on the new capabilities.
We’ll be adding to the list as more questions arise.
Why are you deploying armed
officers?
The terrorist threat is real and we keep the
measures we use to counter it under constant review. We
believe that deploying armed officers on patrol, much like at
airports, will enhance security at stations and reassure the public
that we are doing everything we can to ensure their safety.
These officers will serve as an added deterrent to potential
terrorists and ensure there is a more sustainable capabilty of
armed officers, particularly in London.
Why now? What has changed?
At the end of 2010, the Prime Minister said that the terrorist
threat to Britain is "as serious as it has ever been". A
number of other countries have increased security at transport hubs
and, likewise, we are looking to the future. Deploying armed
officers when there is a heightened threat of terrorist attack will
enable us to respond quickly to any incidents and
will contribute to the safety and security of the
community.
When will we see armed officers on
stations?
We have to select and train officers, go
through a procurement process for equipment and put in place the
procedures and protocols involved in firearms operations.
This will take some time, but we anticipate that the first armed
BTP officers will be deployed in early 2012.
Where will they be stationed?
Armed officers are expected to be deployed mainly in London and
will be focused primarily on the busy transport hubs. Out of
London we will liaise closely with the local police forces to
ensure full co-operation in advance of any deployment.
Will they carry out routine
patrols?
Exact deployment and patrol strategies will
depend on intelligence and other operational considerations and we
will not routinely comment on why officers are deployed to
particular areas. Generally, patrols will focus on mainline
stations and transport hubs, to provide a visible deterrence and
immediate armed response if necessary. The role of these officers
is ‘overt protective security’, like armed officers at airports.
However, rather than a fixed permanent presence, their deployments
will vary daily or weekly. People should not be concerned by seeing
armed officers from time to time.
Will they always be in uniform?
Yes, officers will be in full police uniform.
We will never deploy armed officers in plain clothes.
How will it impact on my daily
journey?
Passengers will see armed officers on stations
from time to time. People travelling through London termini
may see them more often, but it will not impact on your daily
journeys. Deployments will, to some extent, be unpredictable, which
adds to the deterrent value.
Should I be alarmed by this
development?
No one should be alarmed by this as there is no specific
intelligence about a terrorist attack on the rail network.
However, people should be aware that the terrorist threat is real
and ever present and the current UK threat level remains ‘Severe’.
We remind and ask that the public remain vigilant and report any
suspicious behaviour to BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or dial 999 in an
emergency.