The Metropolitan Police has turned down a request from West Ham United to help the English Premier League football club police fans at its London Stadium on matchdays, due to the lack of a “satisfactory” radio system at the facility.
The club issued a call for additional help after trouble flared amongst fans during the team’s 4-2 home defeat against Watford on Saturday, one of West Ham’s first games at the stadium since moving in at the start of the season.
However, according to the BBC, Peter Terry, deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, said officers will not be “routinely deployed” until there is a “comprehensive radio coverage” at the facility.
“The stadium operators are responsible for the safety and comfort of their customers and staff,” Terry said. “This issue was highlighted to the stadium operators in October 2014 and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has been in negotiation with stadium operators regarding the provision of Airwave radio inside the stadium.
“During this time, the MPS had spoken to the stadium operators several times to highlight the consequences of not installing such a system. The MPS is not able to provide Special Policing Services at this time as it would normally, as there is no satisfactory radio system across the ground.”
In response, a stadium spokesman said the decision to install Airwave at the stadium reached in March of this year and the procurement and installation of the system “is the responsibility of the police”. Airwave is used by all of Great Britain’s emergency services, as well as over 300 public safety organisations.
The spokesman added: “We have fully co-operated and will facilitate any access they require to carry this out. The safety of the stadium is paramount and all safety plans are agreed in advance by the police and if there were any significant concerns the stadium would not be licensed.”
The Metropolitan Police added that it is working with Airwave to ensure work is completed “as quickly as possible”.
Share this