The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), City of London Police (CoLP) and the British Transport Police (BTP) are working closely together to finalise planning and preparations for the policing operation for Baroness Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday 17 April.
MPS Commander Christine Jones said: “We are working together and drawing upon all our skills and experience to finalise the details for our policing operation next week. Our planning is being carried out using tried and tested systems so we are in a position to deliver the most effective operation we can.”
The police say the working with all the organisations involved so they will deliver a security operation that is designed to ensure that events that day pass off safely. Police officers will be deployed at strategic points along the route that the funeral cortege will travel, and road closures will be in place. There will be a range of security measures in line with the current threat level. A mobile team of officers, called reserves, will be deployed ready to respond if needed to events anywhere in London.
Commander Jones, added: "Every operation that we deliver is based upon a thorough assessment of the potential risks, and then we plan the most effective ways to mitigate against them. We wish to deliver our operation in a way that protects and secures, but does not intrude upon those people who wish to pay their respects. We are hugely experienced in safely delivering high profile and ceremonial events in the Capital. Right up to and during the course of Wednesday’s events we will monitor a range of information to make sure we have the most up to date intelligence picture. There has been much speculation about what levels of protest may take place. I would ask anyone who wishes to demonstrate then, or in the coming days, to come and talk to us. The right to protest is one that must be upheld, however, we will work to do that whilst balancing the rights of those who wish to pay their respects and those who wish to travel about London as usual."
The operation will be run from the MPS Specialist Operations Room.
