The Queen’s funeral was the most important policing operation the UK had ever seen. Hundreds of cops, together with over 150 officers from the Ministry of Defence Police, have been deployed in response to the dying of Queen Elizabeth II.
For 10 days, the nation and the world mourned the Queen’s passing which culminated in a state funeral on Monday 19 September. This was the primary royal state funeral because the Queen’s Father, King George VI in 1952, with the one different state funeral being held for Winston Churchill in 1965.
The MDP have been amongst the reinforcements introduced in from forces throughout the UK to make sure the state funeral was a secure and safe occasion. This included an elevated variety of MDP officers being deployed throughout London, notably at MOD Important Constructing in addition to to quite a few strategic areas aiding Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police Service.
Preserving London Secure
Defence HQ turned a ahead base for troopers deployed to Whitehall in the course of the Queen’s funeral and nationwide mourning interval. There was additionally a rise in guests to the Whitehall space with among the busiest days ever seen at Horse Guards Parade, as members of the general public got here to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen.
The crew at Whitehall have been led by Senior Police Officer, Chief Inspector Jimmy Carr who described MDP’s position as “a rare contribution which handed with nice success.”
Chief Inspector Carr stated:
I’m immensely happy with the MDP, who’ve proven excellent professionalism and teamwork. It was an honour for each officer concerned to serve their ultimate responsibility to Her Majesty the Queen.
Chief Inspector Jimmy Carr (proper) speaking to officers from the Metropolitan Police Service
Plans that had been twenty years within the making have been put into motion. Inspector Jim McCulloch from Whitehall had an instrumental position within the planning phases which directed our response throughout Operation London Bridge. Working intently with Defence and policing companions the safety operation at Defence HQ was stood up following the dying of the Queen and didn’t conclude till after the state funeral.
These plans ensured the sleek working of day by day capabilities at Important Constructing in addition to offering protecting safety of Defence individuals and belongings concerned within the funeral proceedings. We continued to maintain Defence secure while guaranteeing the general public might safely pay their respects. Chief Inspector Jimmy Carr described Inspector McCulloch’s position in planning the MDP’s response as ‘distinctive’.
Officers from throughout the Power together with the Particular Escort Group, Central Assist Group and Operational Assist Unit have been deployed to assist the operation at Important Constructing. This included supporting car checks and facilitating the motion of Defence personnel in and round Important Constructing in addition to offering help to our armed officers on responsibility at Tilt Yard. Chief Inspector Carr commented that on many events officers have been stopped by members of the general public and thanked for conserving them secure. A remark mirrored throughout London all through the policing operation.
The crew from Whitehall additionally offered elevated assist to Defence throughout early morning rehearsals which occurred all through the mourning interval main as much as and together with the day of the funeral. The day of the funeral noticed a major deployment of MDP officers offering protecting safety for ceremonial troops who required entry to Important Constructing and have been on the brink of march within the funeral procession from Horse Guards Avenue.
Ceremonial troops at Horse Guards Avenue
A surge of officers, together with officers from RAF Menwith Hill, have been additionally deployed to Regent’s Park Barracks which turned an working base for the Kings Troop throughout Operation London Bridge. The King’s Troop had a pivotal position within the motion of the Queens Coffin to the Palace of Westminster and the gun salute in Hyde Park on the day of the funeral. The MDP offered safety to the King’s Troop throughout their time at Regent’s Park Barracks together with when performing their ceremonial duties.
Offering Help to Windsor
Our colleagues from Thames Valley Police (TVP) requested extra Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) to assist the operation at Windsor, this included throughout funeral rehearsals and the day of the funeral.
MDP provided over 40 AFOs from throughout the Power to assist the operation at Windsor and their position was to offer armed safety to the army items collaborating within the funeral, the general public, and Funeral Cortege.
This included officers from the MDP Marine Unit at Portsmouth who have been initially deployed at the start of the operation to assist the Met Police by offering waterborne assist on the Thames as a part of the state funeral preparations. The officers have been stood down and redeployed to help with the armed assist at Windsor.
On the day of the funeral MDP AFOs labored at Windsor alongside armed officers from TVP, in addition to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary who offered mutual assist throughout Operation London Bridge.
Inspector David Hutchins, Bronze Commander for the MDP operation at Windsor, stated:
Since 2020 I’ve been concerned in planning the MDP response to Operation London Bridge and interesting with our policing companions concerning the distinctive capabilities of the MDP.
Our assist to the operation was carried out with army precision, from the pre-arranged mutual assist preparations, to final minute modifications such because the removing of waterborne assist on the Thames, to offering extra armed officers to Thames Valley Police in Windsor.
This for me was a ‘as soon as in a lifetime’ expertise and deploying because the Bronze Commander for the MDP at Windsor, I used to be happy with the professionalism and contribution of our officers particularly over lengthy exhausting hours to assist ship a secure and profitable occasion.
MDP officers deployed to Windsor
Canine Assist and Mission Servator
The MDP Canine Unit have been amongst the sources deployed to offer mutual assist throughout Operation London Bridge. This included six Explosive Search Canine groups who assisted at Windsor and Stansted Airport in the course of the operation.
Along with our Canine Unit offering assist at Windsor, our Mission Servator officers have been additionally deployed as a part of an current mutual assist association to assist Thames Valley Police on the Windsor Guard Change.
An extra crew, led by Inspector Andrew Whitlam, have been deployed to particularly assist Operation London Bridge in the course of the mourning interval, and a surge of Mission Servator officers offered mutual assist at Windsor on the day of the funeral.
Mission Servator officers are specifically educated to identify the tell-tale indicators that somebody could also be planning or making ready to commit a criminal offense. In addition to offering a reassuring presence, the purpose of Mission Servator is to disrupt felony exercise. Throughout Operation London Bridge, quite a few arrests resulted immediately from the MDP Mission Servator crew being deployed to help the operation.
Inspector Whitlam stated:
I’m massively happy with the contribution made by MDP Mission Servator in Windsor and recognition as specialists on this specialist space of policing by our Residence Workplace colleagues was justly deserved.
Inspector Andrew Whitlam standing with Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi (left) from the British Transport Police, PC Mark Hornsey (centre) from the MDP and Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, John Campbell (proper)
Behind the scenes
Not all these concerned in Operation London Bridge have been on the entrance line. Many MDP officers supported the operation in roles behind the scenes in addition to those that backfilled core roles to make sure day by day tasking continued to be met.
The MDP Gold Cell, led by Chief Inspector Iain Williams, was stood up at the start of the operation to facilitate requests for mutual assist from the Nationwide Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC), and our companion forces together with Essex Police. PS James Pollard, from MDP HQ was requested by the Nationwide Mobilisation Co-ordinator to help the NPoCC Planners in London. PS Pollard has just lately returned from a secondment at NPoCC and had an in depth understanding of the Bridges Operation. His major position was to make sure the mobilisation of all Mutual Help requests from TVP and MPS have been fulfilled with a purpose to assist the Operation.
Jason Gwillim, Ministry of Defence Police Assistant Chief Constable stated:
Operation London Bridge was an enormous success for policing. The size of the police operation was unprecedented and in contrast to another occasion within the historical past of policing within the UK. The MDP have been immensely proud to be amongst the forces who gave mutual assist and contributed to Operation London Bridge. This required lots of our officers to work away from residence and work prolonged hours alongside policing and Defence colleagues. Our involvement required important planning and experience, and all through the policing operation our officers have proven excellent professionalism and dedication.
Our contribution has been recognised by our policing companions, with messages of thanks obtained from quite a few our Residence Workplace colleagues. I’m very grateful to everybody within the MDP who was concerned in Operation London Bridge and labored so arduous following the passing of Her Late Majesty The Queen. This didn’t simply embody the officers deployed to assist Operation London Bridge however everybody who continued to offer enterprise as typical duties, defending and serving Defence. This will probably be an event we are going to bear in mind for a few years to return.
