Police in Haringey raise counter terrorism awareness

The initiative - known as Operation Griffin - involves activity co-ordinated by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), City of London Police (CoLP) and British Transport Police (BTP) focused on reminding the public of the vital role they can play in helping to protect the capital. 

Activity will be taking place across all 32 boroughs between 9 - 15 June 2014, with tactics including high visibility patrols around crowded places such as shopping centres and transport hubs.

Officers from Haringey will get involved by staging a table top exercise on the required response in the event of a critical incident for local businesses and provide several counterfeit document awareness sessions. These are aimed primarily at people who deal with document for employment or identification validation purposes. The sessions will assist employers in identifying fraudulent applications for employment and finances, which can be used to fund terrorist activity.

Officers have secured the use of Cineworld to present High Street Fairway to over eighty people. Fairway is a short film addressing the current counter terrorism threat, followed by indicators of suspicious activity and most importantly how to report them.

There will also be a series of internal briefings to update Haringey staff on the current threat of counter terrorism.

Additional patrols will be visible in the Wood Green Community Security Zone.

Thousands of staff from businesses across London will be being briefed under Project Griffin, explaining the ongoing threat from terrorism and what they can do to protect themselves, their business and London from it.

This year will be the 10th anniversary of Project Griffin, developed by the CoLP and MPS in April 2004. The project’s remit is to advise and familiarise managers, security officers and employees of large public and private sector organisations across the capital on security, counter-terrorism and crime prevention issues.

Briefings will also be held for officers and staff on every borough to highlight the key part they play in counter-terrorism policing by providing a link between national expertise and mainstream neighbourhood policing.

Sergeant Andy Underwood, from Haringey’s Counter Terrorism Focus Desk, said: "Everyone has a role to play in keeping Haringey safe from terrorism. This operation sees neighbourhood officers working closely with specialist officers and communities, raising awareness of security in Haringey. We want to continue to build on our engagement with local communities and businesses, to counter the threat from terrorism. Our aim is to raise awareness and improve protection from a terrorist attack and other crimes. The threat to London as a whole from terrorism remains real and serious. We would like to encourage the public to remain vigilant, alert and to report anything suspicious to police."

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Thomas of British Transport Police (BTP) said: “This week-long initiative is designed to remind and inform the public and businesses about what we are doing to make London and its transport system as safe and secure as possible, and what they can do to help.

“Briefings will be taking place across London, and BTP officers will be providing information explaining the on-going threat from terrorism to transport providers and the travelling public.

“BTP uses a wide range of tactics as part of its counter terrorism activity and has a vast experience in dealing with such threats. 

“It is vitally important that we do not get complacent, and the vigilance of passengers and staff remains a crucial element - with more than six million people travelling every day, we have millions of eyes and ears across the whole system – a surveillance resource second to none.”

The operation is being co-ordinated by Specialist Operations in partnership with local officers across the MPS.

Anyone who has any information about unusual activity or behaviour should contact the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.