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| More armed police on London streets, say Met chief and mayor | More armed police on London streets, say Met chief and mayor |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More armed police will be seen on London's streets from now on, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have said. | More armed police will be seen on London's streets from now on, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have said. |
| Sir Bernard said there would be more armed officers at well-known landmarks following terrorist attacks in Europe. | Sir Bernard said there would be more armed officers at well-known landmarks following terrorist attacks in Europe. |
| He said the aim was to reassure the public and deter would-be attackers. | He said the aim was to reassure the public and deter would-be attackers. |
| The Met has already announced it will increase the number of armed officers by 600, bringing the total to 2,800. | The Met has already announced it will increase the number of armed officers by 600, bringing the total to 2,800. |
| The latest announcement comes after 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice in the south of France last month. | The latest announcement comes after 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice in the south of France last month. |
| 'Foolish to ignore' | 'Foolish to ignore' |
| Sir Bernard said: "We have no intelligence that there will be an attack shortly but what we do know is what we have seen in western Europe. | Sir Bernard said: "We have no intelligence that there will be an attack shortly but what we do know is what we have seen in western Europe. |
| "We have seen attacks in Germany, in Belgium, in France and we would be foolish to ignore that, so it's important that we get officers out there with firearms to respond." | "We have seen attacks in Germany, in Belgium, in France and we would be foolish to ignore that, so it's important that we get officers out there with firearms to respond." |
| It comes after he told a newspaper that a terror attack on the UK is highly likely and a case of "when, not if". Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the Met chief said there was a "sense of fear" in Britain. | It comes after he told a newspaper that a terror attack on the UK is highly likely and a case of "when, not if". Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the Met chief said there was a "sense of fear" in Britain. |
| The commissioner said he wanted the increased firearms teams, trained to confront heavily armed terrorists, to be visible and they would be patrolling randomly around the clock. | |
| What are the numbers? | What are the numbers? |
| BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said recent terrorist atrocities in Europe, especially the Nice lorry attack, demonstrate the range of challenges facing front line officers | BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said recent terrorist atrocities in Europe, especially the Nice lorry attack, demonstrate the range of challenges facing front line officers |
| The terror threat level in the UK remains at severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely", our correspondent added. | The terror threat level in the UK remains at severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely", our correspondent added. |
| Mr Khan said: "It's really important that Londoners are reassured that the police service, that the security service, that all of us are doing our bit to keep Londoners in our city safe. | Mr Khan said: "It's really important that Londoners are reassured that the police service, that the security service, that all of us are doing our bit to keep Londoners in our city safe. |
| "That means Londoners will see more armed response officers, they will see more armed vehicles. | "That means Londoners will see more armed response officers, they will see more armed vehicles. |
| "The threat level hasn't changed but we are learning the lessons from Europe, from Nice, from Paris, from Munich." | "The threat level hasn't changed but we are learning the lessons from Europe, from Nice, from Paris, from Munich." |
| The Met said the new armed officers would be "working alongside their neighbourhood and specialist colleagues", and Mr Khan said they would work "closely with all of our communities" to prevent attacks. | |
| "That is why we are returning to real neighbourhood policing with a second dedicated PC in every London ward by the end of next year, to be the eyes and ears of our security services and build trust in our communities," he said. | |
| In Munich, Germany, nine people died in a shooting at a shopping centre in July while in November 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris. | In Munich, Germany, nine people died in a shooting at a shopping centre in July while in November 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris. |
| The Police Federation of England and Wales said counter-terrorism teams could be waiting for up to two years before the extra firearms officers promised to combat an attack are operational. | The Police Federation of England and Wales said counter-terrorism teams could be waiting for up to two years before the extra firearms officers promised to combat an attack are operational. |
| Chairman Steve White said the "best case scenario" would be two years to get the additional 1,500 officers in place. | Chairman Steve White said the "best case scenario" would be two years to get the additional 1,500 officers in place. |
| He said: "Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don't meet the criteria. | He said: "Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don't meet the criteria. |
| "It is vitally important that standards are maintained." | "It is vitally important that standards are maintained." |