| Met's £10m bill for increased security |
The Metropolitan Police is facing a bill of up to £10 million a month for its response to the terrorist atrocities in the US.
The bulk of the bill is for the extra 1,000 officers who have been placed on the streets of the capital.
But there will also be increased costs for the additional work being put in by the Anti-Terrorist Squad and Special Branch.
There is also a small team of detectives working with the FBI in New York and a support operation for victims' families which involves nearly 100 officers on both sides of the Atlantic.
It is thought the cost of the anti-terrorist effort could spiral further if the US takes military action and London becomes a potential target for reprisals.
Richard Barnes, deputy chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, called on the Government to pick up at least some of what he described as the extremely abnormal costs.
He said high visibility policing introduced after the US attacks, which involves cancelled leave, rest day working and overtime for hundreds of officers, had been costed at up to £6 million a month.
He said: "To that you have got to add the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Special Branch and all the increased security at Heathrow.
"We are also now getting threats at mosques and against the Muslim community and they deserve protection."
He could see no short term end to the heightened security operation which could last for months.
Story filed: 16:27 Wednesday 19th September 2001
|
