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Is that a ‘larger’ gun in your pocket...?

Submitted by Guest on Mon, 11/29/2010 - 13:37
in
The implications of the UK police force's new training regime
 
Earlier this month, Verdant asked how useful raising the terror threat level was in preparing the public for potential terrorist activity and concluded that such announcements need to be surrounded by a sound communications framework to have the necessary impact in preparing citizens accordingly.
 
So the news today that British police appear to be ‘suddenly’ training for a “’Mumbai-style’ gun attack” was surprising and highlights two clear issues.
 
Firstly, the country is not as prepared as it should be in responding to such a style of attack. Granted, such preparation is clearly essential, especially in light of the failed plans for such an attack at the beginning of the month.
But Mumbai happened two years ago and despite claims that the UK has been preparing for such attacks since they took place, the fact that the police are only now receiving the necessary heavy-arms training is worrying. Security lessons from Mumbai were stark and UK citizens should rightly expect their security forces to have taken these on board in the aftermath of the atrocities.  
 
The second issue is around communications. Headline grabbing though these exercises might be, they pose the wider question as to what the actual communication strategy of the UK Government and UK security services might be around potential terrorist activity? Evoking ‘fear’ as an emotion is a powerful communications tool which should only be used when absolutely necessary otherwise there is a risk of arousing negative association. The authorities cannot afford to alienate the population in this way if they want a fully engaged and cooperative audience that is aware of the implications of a ‘severe’ threat level.
 
Open and honest discussion is needed and the public need to be made aware of the potential dangers of the situation as well as the levels of readiness of its security services in an atmosphere devoid of emotion and sensationalism. Let’s have a plain-English assessment from a trusted public figure that isn’t covered in spin and which makes up part of a wider campaign to educate the public in what the country’s actual expectations and capabilities are. Only then can we realistically move forward and increase our resiliency to the risk of terrorist attacks.