5/22/2013 Shooting / Machete Attack Incident Woolwich, London

There seems to be some rumblings Re: Police Response time to this incident in the UK today as the News Channels have been running with it.

As Per Sky News - Incident Started approx 2.20pm and Police first arrived approx 9mins after the 1st 999 call. 10 un-armed Police Officers arrived and from Eyewitness on the scene did not approach the immediate scene as weapons were reported / involved and evacuated people away from area.

First Armed Unit was dispatched @ 2.24pm to the incident and arrived roughly 10mins after the 999 call @ 2.34pm with 3 Officers Arriving and they take down the suspects after one of them reportedly rushes towards them. They were then followed in by un-armed Police Officers

Couple of things to note. After the 2 suspects attacked & killed the deceased they were not violent towards any other member of the public. In fact they seemed to stay calm even stopping to try justify there attack to a member of the public who were recording it and is on the net - which i'm sure most of you have seen.

Second. As i'm sure you're aware The Met Police Force is an un-armed police force and armed unit's would patrol kinda like ESU (Fewer in numbers to normal Police Officers with Larger Areas to Cover). If this had of happened in a built up tourist area of London an Armed Unit would have been on scene much quicker.

RIP to the deceased man, his family & friends & a word of praise to the Members of the Public who tried to help and the Police Officers involved
 
A tragic event indeed, and one we all hope is isolated. With regards the Met Police response, as explained the Met do have an armed capability, known as Trojans, with 3-4 armed officers armed with MP5 Heckler and Koch Sub Machine guns, pistols, and non lethal tasers and spray. At one time the number of Trojans patrolling London was just 10, I think it is now in the region of 25, with an additional compliment of Diplomatic Protection officers who patrol the target rich government areas of London to protect diplomats, digniteries and government, they patrol in Red marked Armed Response Vehicles, these crews are now used to back up Trojan units.

The Trojan units patrol on an intelligence led basis, ie if there has been an increase in firearms related incidents or gang incidents they will show a high profile in that area, as well as a roving patrol London wide. Woolwich is away from what was thought to be the target rich area of central London, and may not have attracted the attention of the Met Police to have any Trojans in that particular area at thA particular time.. It was just a matter of chance that the nearest Trojan to woolwich at the time was 10 minutes away.

Te unarmed oficers im sure did what they had to do to secure the area and get members of the pub,ic to safety as per protocol. The Trojan officers managed to shoot the suspects, firstly from inside their ARV and secondly once they were out, in the legs to immobilise them, as perntheir training. I think all the officers, unarmed and armed who responded to the incident did the best with what they had.

But.. The question has to be asked... In a city that is a known potential terrorsit taget.. And a city the size of London, of such international standing and such a huge police force costing the tax payer millions and millions of pounds a year to run..how can two people roam  a street, free, armed, in full view,  for the time they did before they were immobilised??

Im sure these questions are being asked at the highest levels, and this will not be allowed to happen like this again.

JT
 
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