London 2012 Policing & Security Costs Rise to a Billion Says Police Commissioner

With the London 2012 Olympics coming ever closer it is estimated that policing and security for the games will cost in excess of £1 billion ($1.6 billion) according to Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison.

Allison, the National OlympicSecurity Coordinator, gave evidence to the London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee on the costs of London 2012.

Describing the Games as a “significant challenge,” Allison revealed that £600 million ($959 million) had been originally allocated for its policing costs during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

When the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition came to power in May 2010, they conducted a spending review which reduced the estimated cost of policing to £475 million ($760 million).

They will still make the full original amount available to the Metropolitan Police if it is necessary, as well as a £238 million ($380 millio) contingency package, although Allison admitted he did not know whether they would need to use all the money available to it.

“Can I tell you how much money I need?” he told the Committee.

“No I cannot, I can’t tell you what the final costs are going to be.”

In addition to that, London 2012 will be responsible for security inside the Olympic Park and other Games venues, for which more than £280 million ($448 million) has been given to them by the Government, which would increase the overall policing and security cost of the Games to around £1.1 billion ($1.7 billion).

In September a leaked document showed that another £150 million ($240 million) could be required on top of that amid concerns that London 2012 would struggle to deliver security at the original estimate.

“I don’t think we will be able to say what the Olympic security will cost until October next year,” said Allison. 

But he promised a big police presence during the event.

Though a typical day at the Games will see 9,000 officers on the streets of London, peak days could see as many as 12,000 deployed.

“You will see police officers across the streets of London,” said Allison, assuring the public that whilst ensuring a safe Games takes place, that they were primarily concerned with “delivering a safe and secure London. A lot of good work has been done, and with 269 days to go there is a lot to be done between then and now.”