Richard Holt
London
Telegraph
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thousands more police are to be given special training and equipment
to deal with a potential chemical, biological or nuclear terror
attack.
A Government spokeman insisted the move was not in response to
any specific threat, but "part of an ongoing process".
The Home Office is to buy 12,000 personal protection suits for
the event of a dirty bomb attack.
advertisement
Around 7,000 police officers across the UK are currently trained
to deal with an attack, representing about five per cent of the
total number of officers.
The new, high-tech suits will be used over the next few years
to replace the 7,000 currently in use, and to make available an
extra 5,000 to existing police officers.
A Home Office spokesman said the move would mean an increase
in the number of officers trained to deal with an attack, but
would not say exactly how many.
Companies are being invited to bid for the contract to supply
the chemical protection suits. The contract is being advertised
on the Official Journal of the European Union website.
The Association of Chief Police Officers said that the purchase
of the suits was "part of a sensible, planned investment
programme".
"It's significant in terms of what we need and what is being
planned for," a spokesman said.
Email
