The London 2012 Games will involve the biggest security operation in the history of the Metropolitan Police, with around 120 heads of state expected to congregate in the English capital for the Olympics and close to 350,000 visitors a day set visit the Olympic Park.

At present, 10,000 police officers and 13,000 security officers will be deployed across 30 venues in the capital, while scores of MI5 intelligence officers in the Security Service will be transferred from present duties to concentrate on the Olympics.

The Metropolitan Police are currently working closely with the Home Office, the Security Service and the Army to ensure security operations run smoothly but Allison said the military operation will be invisible to spectators attending the event.

"London 2012 will be a blue Games policed by the police," he said at a briefing here at New Scotland Yard.

"The military are obviously heavily involved in the security operations behind the scenes but you certainly won't see them marching on the streets around the capital as the Games takes place or anything like that.

"During the Games, the threat level will be set at severe which means that a terrorist attack is a strong possibility.

"That is one under the highest level of critical.

"We feel this is the appropriate setting that will enable us to be ready if something should happen.

"Behind the scenes, there is a lot going on to make sure with have everything in place for that but to the those attending the Games, the streets definitely be blue."

There is currently a £600 million ($967 million/€686 million) budget that has been ring-fenced for the security operation for London 2012 Games, although the anticipated security cost is expected to be under £500 million ($806 million/€572 million).

Allison added that some of this is being used for a series of key test exercises for the Government, the police and other key agencies during the London 2012 test event programme, which is currently underway.

"As we announced last month, the testing and exercising of our plans is vital to smooth partnership working and providing the most effective response for the public so we are taking every opportunity we can to learn together to make sure our operation in 2012 is the best it can be," he said.


Allison added that he was sad to see the departure of respected Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson (pictured) and its top counter-terrorism police officer, Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who both resigned last month over the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

However, he said that the departures will cause minimum disruption to Olympic security plans.

"It was a privilege to work with both Paul and John but their departures will not affect the plans we have in place for London 2012 security," he said.

"I am the senior officer at the Met in charge of Olympic security so that responsibility was always with me rather than them."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
July 2011: Exclusive - London 2012 security will not be affected by Metropolitan Police Commissioner's resignation claims Olympics Minister
July 2011: Nothing will be left to chance on security at London 2012 promises Home Secretary
March 2011: Guard in Olympics explosives arrest
March 2011: London 2012 announces Rapiscan as security supplier
October 2010: Police will be "very, very stretched" during London 2012 Olympics