In this bulletin:   

·      Risk Assessment test event

• ACPO Olympic Business Area update
• US delegation visit
• London Ambulance Service ‘Go Walk’ programme

This week’s visit by a delegation from the US security agencies led by Edgar Moreno of the State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security will be the first of many from all round the world. These talks are essential to an understanding of the expectation of overseas governments which we need to take into account in our planning. Of course they also enable us to demonstrate our intentions and influence the demands made of us.  The American team has particularly rich experience of recent Olympics and also brings helpful insights from previous Games.

Robert Raine

Director of Olympic Security

Other news

Risk Assessment test event

On May 6 the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) hosted a Games-time personnel security risk assessment pilot, co-ordinated by the Olympic Security Directorate’s (OSD) Identity Assurance Team. The event used a methodology devised with CPNI to assess a series of insider threats under the theme of 'facilitating access.'  The day enabled an end-to-end run through of the methodology and provided an opportunity for stakeholder participation and feedback, giving valuable insight into how to improve the process.  The Identity Assurance Team will now work with stakeholders to incorporate this learning into a refined methodology and approach enabling the completion of a full assessment in due course. 

ACPO Olympic Business Area update

On May 12, Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison chaired the ACPO Olympic Business Area (OBA) meeting for the first time in his new role.  The forum provided an update to policing stakeholders on programme activity, including a presentation on the Olympic Safety and Security Strategic Risk Assessment (OSSSRA) process by Chief Supt Brian Kelly, and a discussion of maritime policing issues led by Chief Supt David Griffith from Dorset Police.  A presentation on Airwave interoperability was conducted by Assistant Chief Constable Adrian Whiting from Dorset Police, followed by a debate on “look and feel” facilitated by the OSD’s Katherine Hammond. 

Chief Constable Peter Maddison of Northamptonshire Police remains as vice-chair of the OBA.

US delegation visit

From 20-21 May, a multi-agency US delegation of 18, led by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, under the auspices of the US International Athletic Events Security Co-ordination Group, visited the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) / OSD and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). 

On their first wholly Olympic-focused trip to London, the group's objectives were to gain a basic understanding of our plans to date, to meet UK agency counterparts and, with the US Embassy, to start to map US structures for 2012 security.  They attended a series of presentations, led by Robert Raine, Richard Bryan, OSCT's International Team and others, and gave presentations to the UK side including colleagues from ACPO, Dorset Police and other agencies on their likely roles and requirements during Games time. 

The US team said they were pleased with the programme and impressed with the maturity of our work and its consistency with their own thinking.

London Ambulance Service ‘Go Walk’ programme

Staff in the London Ambulance Service (LAS) Olympic Games Planning Office are encouraging their colleagues to get into the Olympic spirit with a competition running throughout June. The ‘Go Walk’ challenge has three levels aimed at helping staff get fit for 2012:

Gold - 10,000 steps a day per team member - the standard recommended by the British Heart Foundation

Silver - 5,000 steps a day per team member

Bronze - 3,000 steps a day per team member

The Ramblers’ Association are helping by leading lunchtime walks for staff and teams who register for the challenge get a free pedometer and can record and measure their progress on the LAS intranet site.