The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has increased police numbers and operations across the Capital with immediate affect. The plans that have been put in place reflect efforts by the MPS to protect London against the current threat from international terrorism.
The public will see more armed officers, working alongside their neighbourhood and specialist colleagues on proactive operations and targeted patrols, both on foot and in vehicles, MPS has said. Locations of their deployments, types of tactics and numbers on duty will continually change to be the most effective and avoid predictability.
Vigilance learnt the armed officers will also provide support to colleagues working on Project Servator. This tactic uses teams of specialist police officers who have been trained to spot the tell tale signs that a person may be carrying out hostile reconnaissance or committing other crime. The approach is based on extensive research into the psychology of criminals and what undermines their activities.
As part of the pre-planned and tested deployment under Operation Temperer the military will be working under the MPS command structure to provide static armed guarding at key locations. This will include Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Embassies and the Palace of Westminster. This will free up armed officers to carry out patrols.
Commander Jane Connors, leading the London policing operation, said: "We will do all we can to protect the Capital that we serve at this unsettling time. All our work is designed to make our city as hostile an environment as possible for terrorists to plan and operate.
"The reality is that we must be prepared to be able to respond to and deal with armed and deadly attackers, so we must be in a position to respond with firearms officers who will use force to stop those attackers in their aim. That is why is we have increased the number of firearms who are on duty, both out walking and in roaming patrols, at fixed points and carrying out a range of operations.
"We are using every tactical option - not just through the use of armed officers but ongoing work by the Counter Terrorism Command; working with partner agencies and gathering community intelligence.
"Whilst some of what we are doing will be obvious to the public there is a huge amount of work happening day and night that the public will never know about."
As a highly visible deterrent and disruptive tactic officers will be making more use of stop and search; vehicle check points and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
Operations for upcoming events are now under review and there will be an additional security arrangements put in place. Specialist officers who are experts in protective security arrangements are advising businesses, event organisers and venues across London.
Commander Connors added: "At this time we need the people of London to remain calm but alert. If you see anything that causes you concern then let us know immediately, if you have suspicions about someone's behaviour call us. We need your help to help us protect the capital and thwart the terrorists who seek to divide us and undermine our way of living."