Police officers told to be “vigilant for their personal safety”

POLICE officers have been warned that they need to make extra checks on their personal security in the light of the terror threat in the UK.

No specific details around threat and intelligence assessments have been publicly released. However, police officers and staff around the country were reminded by chief officers on 10 October of the need to “be vigilant for their personal safety”.

The warning comes after country’s terror threat was raised from substantial to severe. This means a terrorist attack is highly likely.

A spokesman for ACPO said: “The threat level to police officers and staff has been heightened, but we are used to confronting risk and danger, this is what we do on a daily basis, and we are well trained.”

National Policing Lead for Counter-Terrorism, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, said: “The threat level to police officers and staff has been heightened, but we are used to confronting risk and danger, this is what we do on a daily basis, and we are well trained.

“We are informing our officers and staff of the heightened risk and reminding them to remain vigilant and alert to any possible dangers. We are asking them to follow existing policies and good practice. Measures are being put in place to increase the vigilance of officers and staff.”

Mr Rowley, an assistant commissioner in charge of specialist operations at the Met, added: “All police forces constantly review their security and safety procedures and this will, of course, continue. You will see no major changes in the way we continue to police the UK and engage with our communities – our emphasis is on vigilance.”

“We will continue to build on existing community relations and work closely with them to ask for their help in combating terrorism. We therefore continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police.”

He also called on communities and families to be vigilant towards people living in their area. He said that anyone with concerns about people they “perceive may be vulnerable or in danger of escalating towards terrorism”, should share their concerns with the police.