Anyone want to volunteer?

[Oldbillplod]

Foreign armed police may be needed for the 2012 London Olympics because there are not enough British officers trained to use firearms.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair told a Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) meeting it may be too expensive to train British policemen.

About 6,000 out of 140,000 officers in England and Wales are trained in guns.

The Met Police spokesman said it may need help in some specialist areas of policing but no decision had been made.

Sir Ian told the MPA committee meeting: "The principle must be that we don't want armed foreign police, but there's a 'but' - and the 'but' is twofold.

"One, you may not be able to get any foreign police unless they are armed because they won't feel at all easy being unarmed in public scenarios like that.

'But the second and I think most difficult one is the number of protected persons and whether we actually have, in the United Kingdom, sufficient capacity to actually have enough armed officers to do the job.

"If we don't have, then you are then talking about a training requirement of very considerable expenditure for a period of eight weeks."

The Met, Britain's biggest force, has 2,600 firearms-trained officers that are mainly used to protect key buildings, such as Parliament, Buckingham Palace and foreign embassies.

A spokesman for the Met said: "The Olympic Games are still five years away and the detail of our policing plan is still being worked on.

"Whilst we have made no formal request for mutual aid, as it is too soon to do so, it is anticipated that we may need support to fulfil some specialist areas of policing, of which firearms officers are a good example."

[TXCharlie]

Sir Ian told the MPA committee meeting: "The principle must be that we don't want armed foreign police
...
"[but] you may not be able to get any foreign police unless they are armed because they won't feel at all easy being unarmed in public scenarios like that.

Duhhh - You think???? :rolleyes:

Well, they could dedicate all you armed police to the Olympics and leave the Royal Palaces unguarded... Or leave the Olympics unguarded...

I'm sure Al Quata would never take advantage of a situation like that ;) :D

Might I suggest an unarmed U.N. peacekeeping force? - Those bluebellies have proven to be such good cannon fodder in Iraq, at least they might cause the terrorists to waste their bullets and IED's.

I think it's silly to even hold the Olympics with the current state of affairs, but then again I'm not a sports fan anyway, and certainly don't like the politics surrounding the Olympic funding schemes.

[mcsap]

Brilliant idea ! The UK can't afford to equip and train thousands of their own police so they want the rest of the world to supply them ?

Any mention of who is going to PAY for this ?

My guess is that every participating country with English speaking peoples will be asked to send " volunteers". Again , the cost will still be tremendous.

Things like use of force in various countries differs greatly , would we adhere to the UK standard ? Are we protected better under UK law or worse ? Would we carry 24/7 or have to surrender our weapons while off duty ? What about non-lethal weapons ?

This could really become quite involved.

[Scruit]

Send over a bunch of American hunters. Tell them there's no bag limit on scrotes.

(In my bed Elmer Fudd voice...) "Be vewwy vewwy quiet... I'm hunting Chavs..."

[Joeyd6]

I'm in....but my guns come with me!

[Norm357]

I wanna go! It's ok, I have my own guns!

[Ranger Hoot]

Only if I get to wear one of those fuzzy, tall, black doo-hickeys that strap on under your nose.

Oh, and Union Jack boxers.

[MDEMT280]

Only if I get to wear one of those fuzzy, tall, black doo-hickeys that strap on under your nose.

A fake moustache?

[resqr1]

I'm in....but my guns come with me!

DITTO!!

[1776]

I'm not LEO,but I'll go. Me and my huntin' buddies will bring our shotguns. Just like that old Jeff Foxworthy redneck joke,we'll shoot at the doves during the opening ceremony.:D

[Creeker]

Will we have to draw with our left hand?:D

I think its kinda funny... the Brits needed our guns for WW2, now they need our armed Coppers for WW3... almost the definition of insanity.... :rolleyes:

[Paul Hartwig]

I'd go

[chiefhuntr]

I'd go

I would go at the drop of a hat. We have some Brit friends that would be in need of some help. I bet I would not have a hard time finding a place to stay either.......:p

[Lawson]

Why is it within 5 years they cant train more British Police officers to use guns?

[FoodStampz]

Send over a bunch of American hunters. Tell them there's no bag limit on scrotes.

(In my bed Elmer Fudd voice...) "Be vewwy vewwy quiet... I'm hunting Chavs..."

Chav's FTL!