Page 13 - Top Cover Issue 9

TOP COVER ISSUE 9 13

From planning to WRITTEN BY NIGEL LYONS

performance… Metropolitan Police Service
Deputy Exercise Director,

It all started on a wet night just before the Met’s Counter Terrorist Command side and of course the Training wing.
Christmas when I got an evening phone SO15, Emergency Planning, British It was also critical to success that we
call asking me if I wanted to get involved Transport Police, London Ambulance took a common-sense attitude to the
in planning a terrorism exercise. I said Service and London Fire Brigade all ‘Circle of Trust’ that we needed. This
yes just to have a change of scenery – similarly dedicated to the planning circle obviously grew as time went on,
little did I know what this entailed! team. The fusion of all these experts but it was important that other expert
and the way they worked closely with instructors were brought in to ensure
Six months later, under the eyes of each other meant that problems and realism and practicality in their own
the world’s Press, the results of what issues (there were many of them!) were areas, such as working in smoke-filled
the team achieved were on show to identified early on and dealt with – or at environments, EMOE, helicopters, boats
everyone. I like to think that the end least dealt with as best we could. and abseiling.
result was one of the biggest and most
realistic firearms exercises that we Other exercises that I had been involved The exercise venues needed much work
have ever seen. During a debrief, the in did not seem to have as much of the due to their Central London locations,
fact that an experienced ARV Sergeant realism-factor in their planning and involving massive marshalling and traffic
told us he had to pause for a moment execution. The fact that all the interested management plans.
to think about the casualty covered in groups were working together meant
blood crawling towards him screaming that we could discuss and reach sensible In short, we wanted to invest as much
for help, made us realise that we had hit early decisions that satisfied all the effort and planning as possible to deliver
the spot. Critical to the success of the players come the great day. the ‘Gold Standard’ of exercise, covering
exercise was early acknowledgement aspects such as ultra-realistic casualties
that a small team of Firearms Instructors Organising the entire complement of screaming for help, explosions, smoke
with a wide range of skills would need to what the Met could provide in terms and a little measure of controlled chaos!
be dedicated full time to the six months of specialist firearms assets over two I believe it worked on the day, and the
of planning. The Instructors worked days meant a huge commitment from lessons everyone learned will further
hand in hand with other experts from SCO19, both from the Operations prepare us and save lives in the future ■