May 18, 2018

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Event Security

Royal Wedding: £30m security operation to keep the event safe

Saturday will see the usually sleepy town of Windsor become the focal point of the world, when Prince Harry marries American actress Meghan Markle.

royal weddingLarge scale events can involve significant risks and events don’t come much larger than a Royal Wedding.

The event is a prime target for disruption from the likes of terrorists, pranksters, protesters, as well as event spectators who have enjoyed one too many in the May sunshine.

The task of keeping the expected vast crowds safe and secure is a mammoth one for the UK authorities.

Former Head of Royal Protection Dai Davies spoke of the challenging environment police will be tasked with working in: “Windsor is a hell of a job to secure. It has narrow streets, cobbled in parts. How do you secure several miles of very small township and parts which are open and green?”

That will have all been taken into account during months of planning by highly trained and experienced professionals, the hazards will have been systematically identified, risks controlled and emergencies anticipated and prepared for.

Massive police presence

More than 100,000 people are expected to line the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds, while the event will attract a global television audience of millions.

When Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, there were about 5,000 police officers on duty.

The force presence is expected to be far greater this time, reportedly in the region of 30,000.

royal weddingThames Valley Police has called upon neighbouring forces to bolster numbers in what is likely to be one of the biggest operations ever conducted by the force.

Automatic number plate recognition

Armed police, snipers, dog units, plain clothes officers, a series of road closures, hostile vehicle barriers, planned escape routes, a no fly zone, automatic number plate recognition and an array of other hi-tech resources will be at the disposal of the security service for the day.

All spectators, whether arriving on road, rail or foot, will undergo airport style security checks before being allowed access to the area and police will be using ‘stop and search’ techniques during the event.

There will also be helicopters patrolling the skies and marine police units deployed on the Thames.

Royal Wedding Strategic Commander, David Hardcastle, said: “Technology is very different now than it was in 2011. Everyone who’s coming into the processional route will go through airport style security.”

£30m cost

The cost of it all is reported to be in the region of £30m.

And what about if you’re not going? In April 2011, the HSE’s ‘myth of the month’ was ‘Health and Safety bans celebration of the Royal Wedding’.

“In reality”, it said, “There’s nothing in health and safety law to prevent anyone from celebrating the Royal Wedding – in fact, HSE encourages everyone who wants to throw a party to go right ahead.”

It did advise to “check with the local council” before throwing a street party, however.

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