London 2012 security statement from John Casson

Wednesday 30 May 2012

John Casson, the founder and chairman of Securewest International, has issued the following statement relating to the contract security arrangements for the London 2012 Olympics:

‘I am not surprised at the scale of the problem – that G4S have not been able to recruit enough security personnel.

Aerial view of the Olympic Park in London.

‘How could the government or G4S have had any idea what the size of the available labour pool would be pre-Olympics? They negotiated the contracts for G4S to provide 3,000 personnel three years ago, with a substantial increase in requirement to 10,000 last December.

‘It is not just security; thousands more have to be employed for cleaning, catering and stewarding and so on, as well as thousands more to support businesses or logistics near to the Olympic venues.

‘It will only take for example a cleaning requirement contract paying a few pence more per hour, and those looking for temporary work at the Olympics will go there first; it is human nature.

‘The majority of people will only apply for work at the Olympics nearer to the event if they cannot find permanent work elsewhere. No wonder G4S are so short of the 10,000 personnel required. I am doubtful if all those employed have been properly vetted (particularly if they originate from overseas).

‘I am critical of the government as well as G4S for this debacle, which is going to cost millions of pounds more to overcome by drafting in the armed forces and police. 

‘There was a better solution.

‘In the UK there are thousands of former armed forces and police officers who would have been ideal for the security requirements of the London 2012 Olympics. “Serve your nation, help with the London 2012 Olympics” would have attracted many of these highly trained, reliable and experienced people, who should have been recruited and deployed by a “force” specifically set up for the purpose under the command of a chief constable or senior army officer.

‘Drafting these people in from around the country and accommodating them in temporary locations would have saved millions of pounds against the additional costs that will be incurred by government and G4S failures alike.’