The police chief, who as the head of Scotland Yard is in charge of counter-terror policing nationwide, said: “I feel and understand that fear and as the police officer in charge of preventing such an attack know that you want me to reassure you”.
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Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he wanted to offer reassurance to the British public that the trend would not endanger the United Kingdom, and said police vigilance has not changed.
He said instead he could offer reassurance by explaining what police and security services are doing to protect the public.
The public must do more to assist the police in preventing potential terror attacks, a senior United Kingdom police officer has said. “I am afraid I can not do that entirely”, he said.
The threat level in London remains at “severe” and the increase is not in response to any specific intelligence but is a long-term response to a spate of deadly attacks in European countries.
He said: “We will get information, someone will see something unusual in their town centre where they work, they might be concerned about terrorist reconnaissance and they will report that to us”.
“The falling officer numbers means double-crewing is becoming a luxury, which leaves officers alone and unarmed in some unsafe situations, this is particularly relevant for those working in a rural environment”. I truly believe this gives us a far healthier relationship with the people we police.
Sir Bernard also said there were more armed officers on hand to tackle inevitable terrorist atrocities, and praised the tolerance of the public. All firearms-equipped officers, he says, have been trained “to take the initiative” to stop a Paris-style attack.
The Metropolitan Police, which operates in the United Kingdom capital and is the largest force in the country, said the public would notice an increased number of officers.
“If you don’t have police officers having that daily contact in these communities you’re never going to build these relationships”.
It means the number has dwindled by more than 1,000 in the past five years.
An armed police officer patrols ahead of the arrival of members of Britain’s royal family to a service of thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday at St Paul’s cathedral in London, Britain, June 10, 2016. “The resources that have been taken out over the last couple of years is stark”.
“Defeating terrorism is as much about refusing to be afraid as anything else”.
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“Our firearms officers are the ones who will run toward the danger”, he said. “We are asking the public to roll the sleeves up and help us”.
