Policing needs investment to cope with terrorist threat

INVESTMENT in policing is required to help combat and prevent terrorist attacks in England and Wales.

That’s the view from Neil Bowles, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, who has fears about the police’s ability to respond should an attack similar to Paris happen.

“The Government obviously have a hidden agenda to get rid of, to break the power of the current policing model,” said Mr Bowles.

“If such an attack happened at three different sites within an area in our country, I fear thousands would be killed before armed police could turn up.

“More investment in policing is required. I think this Government – which talks about investing in our country’s security and safety – needs to put their money where their mouth is. Security is an issue.”

The man in charge of UK armed policing has said British police would have “significant” difficulty coping with attacks and on-the-run terrorists like those in Paris last week and in January.

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, lead for armed policing on the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said manhunts for armed terrorists would be a “significant challenge” for police. He said that “a series of no-notice attacks…would significantly stretch our armed resources and very quickly we would be asking for military support”.

His remarks emerged as Home Office figures showed there has been a 15% drop in the number of armed officers since 2008, a 21% fall in London and reductions of almost half in some other areas.