Tag: police

New anti-terror plan to be announced tomorrow for Germany

GERMANY – Germany’s Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, will be announcing new anti-terror measures tomorrow, following the two attacks – claimed by the so-called Islamic group – that happened in the country recently: one, an ax attack on a crowded train in Wuerzburg, and the other a suicide bombing in Ansbach.

According to local media reports and as reported by the BBC as well, there are plans to ban and deport migrants for being a “threat to public security”, to increase the use of video surveillance, to speed up the process of deporting migrants who are convicted of crimes, forbid the public usage of burka (full veil), to forbid radical Islamist funding of mosques and to allow doctors to break their confidentiality agreement if they think one of their patients could be planning a terrorist attack. A possible ban on dual citizenship is also in the talks.

In addition to these bans, it is planned that 15,000 more police units will be added nationwide to surveille urban areas and crowded places like train stations and airports – their weapons and equipment will also be improved -, a special police cyber defence unit will be created as well as powers to investigate suspects as young as 14.

 

600 extra armed police to be deployed in London as a long-term response to terrorism

LONDON – Authorities have announced on August 4th that an additional 600 armed officers will be deployed in London as a long-term response to the series of deadly attacks that happened across Europe. The threat level of the city remains “severe“, but it has been announced that this move made by the Metropolitan Police is not linked to any specific intelligence; Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Met commissioner, said that he is sure people will understand their determination to protect London and its citizens after all that’s happening in the EU. He also added that having firearms officers who will use force to stop attackers is essential, since the majority of London police officers do not carry firearms and therefore could not protect themselves and the public if faced with an armed terrorist.

His statement and convinctions are fully shared by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor, who puts London public’s safety and security before everything else. “There is no reason to be alarmed. Our police officers are working together with our communities to prevent the possibility of an attack“, he said.


This will not be the last addition to the Police: as stated by the Police Federation chairman, Steve White, the best-case scenario is to recruit an extra 1,500 officers in two years. “Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don’t meet the criteria or they are not of sufficient quality to go through the rigorous selection and training process”, he added.

Home Offices figures for the year to March 2016 showed that the number of armed officers in England and Wales significantly dropped, but police chiefs are confident forces’ number will get back to normal over the next 18 months.