Source: insidethegames.biz | By Tom Degun at New Scotland Yard in London
July 5 - Home Secretary Theresa May has promised nothing will be left to chance when it comes to ensuring a safe environment during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as she today announced a comprehensive programme of test exercises here at New Scotland Yard designed to ensure maximum security during the Games.
The test exercises for the Government, the police and other key agencies will range from table top discussions to live play exercise with the London 2012 test event programme, which is currently underway, set to play a key role in the training.
The bespoke programme of exercises will aim to test how the relevant organisations can work together to manage the unprecedented nature and scale of a Games in London and across other parts of the UK looking specifically at scenarios that impact the smooth running of the event such as long queues at venues, transport disruption or a major terrorist attack.
"This programme of exercises will play a key role in helping deliver our commitment of a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games," said May.
"We have a robust safety and security strategy but the testing of our plans, structures and responses to ensure they can deal with any incident is vital.
"I want to ensure everyone that with just over a year to go to the Olympics, we will leave nothing to chance in our plans to deliver a Games that London, the UK and the whole world will enjoy."
May continued that the full £600 million ($967 million) security budget that has been ring-fenced for the Olympic and Paralympic Games may not be required.
"We have £600 million ($967 million) that has been ring-fenced for the London 2012 Games but at present, we anticipate costs will be less than that and just under £500 million ($806 million)," she said.
The exercise programme includes three strategic command post exercises and one live exercise that will run in September and December this year and in spring 2012.
These are supported by a wide range of top table exercises and local level exercises which will include a large amount of work with regional police for the Olympic Torch Relay which tours the country next year ahead of the Olympics.
"Years of experience have proven to us time and time again that testing and exercising our plans is vital to smooth partnership working and providing the most effective response for the public," said Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is the National Olympic Security Coordinator.
"With new structures and new partners to work with during games-time never before has a testing and exercising programme been so important.
"We will take every opportunity we can to learn together to make sure our operation in 2012 is the best it can be."
The exercising programme builds on the early testing that has taken place as the Games-time plans have been developed and will take place in addition to the on-going exercising programme that takes place across all levels of Government and emergency services every year to test incident responses.
Team TTO
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee