Frontline police say 'let us patrol in pairs' due to rising risk of street attack by jihadis
- Officers in London feel increasingly at risk from attacks by jihadis
- Some even want to carry CS spray and batons when they are off-duty
- The first ‘counter-terrorism awareness week’ will be launched tomorrow
Police
are demanding to be allowed to patrol in pairs because they fear
fanatics are planning to murder an officer on the street – in a horrific
echo of the killing of soldier Lee Rigby last year.
Frontline
officers in London feel increasingly at risk as they take to the
streets by themselves in cars or on the beat because of the danger of a
jihadi attack. Some also want the right to carry protective equipment
such as CS spray and batons when they go off-duty, over concerns they
could be targeted as they leave stations at night.
Senior
figures in the Police Federation have met counter-terror chiefs to
voice their members’ fears after alleged terrorists were accused of
plotting to shoot officers after carrying out surveillance of their
station.
Police are demanding to be allowed to
patrol in pairs because they fear fanatics are planning to murder an
officer on the street – in a horrific echo of the killing of soldier Lee
Rigby last year
But
chiefs have refused requests to increase protection and are calling on
officers to be more vigilant in the face of higher risk levels.
In
a further sign of the heightened security situation in Britain, the
first ‘counter-terrorism awareness week’ will be launched tomorrow with
more police on duty at shopping centres and airports as well as
providing advice on how the public can spot potential radicals.
Former
Scotland Yard detective Chris Hobbs told The Mail on Sunday last night:
‘Frontline police officers in London are fearful they could become
victims of savage targeted attacks on the streets of the capital by
fanatical Islamist jihadists. Officers are concerned that other than
receiving “stay vigilant” advice they are not being kept fully informed
of events in relation to the very real threats to their own safety or
being afforded additional protection.’
Fusilier Rigby was hacked to death near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London on May 22 last year
It
was standard practice for police to go on the beat in pairs but in
recent years chiefs have changed to single crewing as budget cuts have
led to the loss of 15,000 jobs since the last Election.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: ‘Officer safety is of utmost importance and the position will remain under constant review.’
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