When a protest happens you should expect to see a large number of police officers and police staff working closely with partner agencies to oversee the planned demonstrations.
In ensuring that people are able to exercise their democratic right to peacefully protest, whilst causing minimum disruption to others, the police have to be prepared, and able to respond to a variety of scenarios. As such, the many police officers you will see may be dressed differently than normal so as to be able to deal with the various possibilities. In addition, some equipment will be used to assist in crowd safety that is not usually seen on the streets of our town.
As a starting point, many police officers will be dressed as they would be for policing football matches.
Should perhaps the situation become more volatile, then senior officers may decide to deploy officers with more protective equipment. This may be the case for example if there is persistent throwing of objects. Essentially this means officers will wear a range of other equipment – but this does not necessarily mean that there has been disorder – it is a preventative measure. Officers may carry some of that equipment with them.
If senior officers deem it necessary to deploy further protective equipment, officers with shields may be used to control such disorder. This might be the case if missiles are thrown from the crowd.
Whilst officers with this equipment would only be deployed in response to serious and sustained disorder, it should be borne in mind that officers may be moving to their required positions in a unit of perhaps 75 officers and moving in a co-ordinated way. Even those expecting it, the sight can be quite dramatic.
With so many police officers involved in the event, there will be a considerable number of police vehicles. It is essential that police ‘units’ remain together to be able to be deployed by the operation commanders, immediately, if required. As such it is likely that you will see officers travelling in groups of nine or more vehicles utilising lights and sirens in order to negotiate traffic. Police Support Units will be seen parked in large groups in standby mode – or providing a reassuring presence to ensure that areas remain peaceful.
To assist in crowd safety we will use some relatively new equipment to help close or contain certain areas. These fold-out from a box trailer to form steel barriers and through which we can allow people in and out. They can be deployed or removed in less than five minutes.
If there is a need to move people from location to location for example to the train station, we will use something similar to those used at football matches referred to as a ‘snake’. This is where officers escort groups who are on foot by surrounding them on all sides by officers on foot, backed up by others in vans.
There will also be the support of specialist police departments e.g. mounted section, dog section, air support and investigative support to name but a few. If you see a police horse, please do not approach it unless you have asked the rider.
If you see a police dog please do not approach them. These animals are highly trained but they are not pets. Police dogs become very focused on the crowd in a public order situation and become defensive of themselves and their handler. They cannot differentiate between a member of the public and the crowd, so please keep at least 5 metres away from them and be prepared to move quickly if requested.
Officers from forces around the country are providing assistance to Bedfordshire Police; whether it is in the form of public order trained officers or specialist units as above, in order to meet the needs of the people of the county.
All are trained to the same national standards. Whatever uniform they may be wearing, or role they may be called upon to perform, they are first and foremost police officers and will conduct themselves accordingly.
Many of the officers involved will have assisted in policing the Luton protest in February 2011. The subsequent recognition by the people of Luton and the Borough Council that the conduct and professionalism shown on that day has enhanced respect and the reputation of the police is a testament to what can be achieved.
Bedfordshire Police is in no doubt that the same result can be achieved in our handling of these challenging circumstances.
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