Civil Nuclear Constabulary to Provide Passenger Protection

Firearms officers from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary are set to be deployed on passenger ferries between England and Europe this summer, according to a report published by The Times newspaper.

The report claims that 40 officers will be involved, deployed in rotating shifts on cross-Channel ferries operating in to and out of Dover, and passenger ships sailing between Newcastle and the Netherlands. No specific threat against ferries is understood to have been made, but the vessels are seen as potentially a ‘soft’ target, with security screening being less robust than for passengers on aircraft or Eurostar trains.

The officers are said to be due to begin a trial deployment in July, and are being used in this role because the force is over-staffed following decommissioning of nuclear power stations. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy intends to table legislation that would extend the force’s remit, enabling it to more easily lend support to other forces.

“The government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens,” a spokesperson told The Times. “We are constantly developing protection for UK citizens against the threat of terrorism. This includes strengthening security by fully equipping law enforcement and emergency responders to respond to terrorist incidents, no matter where they occur.”