2012 is the biggest challenge for British police

Olympic security will become a major issue in the next few weeks because of cuts to police force budgets announced in the Government Spending Review.

We are expecting to hear soon how the 20% cut in budgets over four years will affect the �600m security funding for the Games.

Some security experts have already suggested that twice as much money will actually be needed to keep the Games safe.

But there are growing worries about how any cuts to police forces around the country could affect 2012.

The Met Police is going to need to draft in thousands of officers from forces around the country because it hasn't got enough staff to deal with the busiest days when 9,000 police will be needed on the streets of London. That's 3,000 more police than the toughest event of the year, the Notting Hill Carnival.

That will put extra strain on forces across the country. The Met will need to bring in specialist officers as well from other parts of the country.

I have been speaking to Chris Allison, the Met Police Assistant Commissioner who handles Olympic security.

Interestingly, he told me that the police also has plans in place to handle demonstrations during the Games like the recent student protests. He said:

"What's happened in the last couple of weeks is a timely reminder to the police service nationally about the impact of public disorder and the need of the services to have the capability to deal with it and to deal with it quickly."

That means putting large numbers of officers on the streets and outside venues will be crucial. We already know that a special centre is being set up north of London where officers from around the country will be housed.

But the big question is: will all this be possible if there are cuts in officers across the country?

That's what we are waiting to hear.

Security Minister Baroness Neville-Jones told a special conference on Olympic security today that national exercises to test procedures will take place in the next 20 months, including a range of scenarios.

She also said that it was important for police to focus on events running parallel to the Games, such as Live Sites around the UK where big TV screens will show the action.

The Olympics is the biggest challenge to Britain's police forces in our lifetime. During the Games officers are not expected to get more than one day off per week.

But will it work if there are significant cuts to police numbers?

More: BBC London 2012

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adrianwarner/2010/11/2012_security_will_need_more_m.html

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