Chris Allison, a former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner who headed up security at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has been appointed to help solve crowd trouble issues at the London Stadium.
The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), which owns the stadium, took the decision after trouble broke out among fans during a recent football match at the facility between new tenants West Ham United and English Premier League rival Watford.
West Ham had requested additional support from the Metropolitan Police for future home games, but the plea was rejected, with the police citing the lack of a proper radio system in the stadium as the main reason behind its decision.
Allison, who served as the London 2012 National Olympic Security Controller and security advisor to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England and Wales, will now support stadium staff with their efforts to combat crowd trouble.
“We have appointed Chris Allison CBE, a former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, to work with the London Stadium partners, London Stadium 185, West Ham United, LLDC and Newham Council to help make sure that the safety and security of all those using the Stadium remains of the highest quality,” the LLDC said in a statement picked up by the Mirror newspaper.
“Chris is a hugely experienced officer with unrivalled expertise in major event policing, who is familiar with the London Stadium from his work as the London 2012 National Olympic Security Coordinator and security advisor to Rugby World Cup 2015.
“Everyone involved is focused on working together to deliver a safe and secure venue for all spectators in the months and years ahead.”
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