Port police help in Olympics security
Published: 11:30, 06 August 2012
Port of Dover police have been involved in the security operations surrounding the Olympic Games in London.
X-ray examination equipment at the port combined with specially-trained officers is enabling the force to to deal with any potential security alerts without bringing the port to a standstill.
Large numbers of cyclists leaving the country through Dover kept port police busy as they tried to ensure that they could cycle down to the berths safely, without interrupting other traffic flows.
Improvements to the traffic management system at the Eastern Docks will incorporate an element on safety and security of cyclists and pedestrians within the port.
A total of 17 fixed penalty tickets were issued during July to people within the port for various misdemeanours, and another 34 people were issued summons to appear at the Court for a variety of driving offences.
There were 25 road traffic collisions within the docks, and officers dealt with another five on the approach roads.
They were only required to conduct traffic control for 12 hours during the month, compared to 240 hours in June.
Port of Dover Police led an operation, in conjunction with Kent County Council, P&O Ferries and DFDS to promote Road Safety, issuing multi-lingual leaflets giving information about road safety in the UK to foreign tourists and lorry drivers.
The police inflatable boat, Delta 99, assisted when the dredger David Church dredged up a Second World War bomb inside the harbour. The crew enforced a cordon around the dredger until a bomb disposal team arrived. They then escorted it to the Goodwin Sands where the explosive was placed onto the seabed and blown up.
Delta 99 was also heavily involved in the arrival of the Olympic Flame to Dover, escorting the tall ship Stavros S Niarchos which was carrying the flame and security search operations.
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Danny Boyle