
Heavily armed new police patrols have been deployed on the streets of London today after a wave of terror attacks in Europe.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe unveiled the plan to put more highly visible patrols, armed to the teeth with pistols and semi-automatic SIG Carbine rifles, at major landmarks as a deterrent to potential attackers.

As well as guns, the new generation of armed officers also have BMW F800GS motorbikes to allow them to scramble to an incident anywhere in the capital and speed boats so they can deploy from the Thames.

The new officers are masked in order to protect their identity from attackers, which can help in a variety of different circumstances - from hostage situations, targeted attacks to kidnap attempts. The masks provide an extra layer of safety for counter-terrorism officers as they carry out their various specialist tasks.

But today's announcement - dubbed Operation Hercules by the Met - came against a backdrop of warnings from the Police Federation that it will take two years to deliver a promised increase of 1,500 in the trained-strength of armed officers across the country.

Of the new officers, 600 will be based in London and today's announcement revealed the first cohort to be trained.

More British police officers are carrying guns after a spate of attacks on the continent, including the Bastille Day massacre in Nice and the murder of a priest in a Normandy Church last week. The expanded firearms units were promised after the Paris attacks last November.

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The heavily armed officers carry semi-automatic SIG Carbine rifles, sniper rifles, shot guns, hand guns and tasers as well as extensive body armour - plus other tools including disc cutters, crow bars and hydraulic rams

As well as guns, the new generation of armed officers also have BMW F800GS motorbikes to allow them to scramble to an incident anywhere in the capital and speed boats so they can deploy from the Thames.

Sir Bernard said the additional armed officers were the first cohort from a planned group of 600 due to be trained to carry firearms - with 1,500 due to be trained across the country.

Speaking in Hyde Park, Sir Bernard said: 'People aren't fools - they know that in the event that there is a firearms attack, we are going to have to respond with firearms.

'They pass through airports where we have armed officers, they pass through railway stations where they see firearms.

'In some of our big iconic locations, we've already got armed patrols - if you look at Parliament, Downing Street - so it's not entirely new.

'I think people understand that where you are going to have people as enemies who've got guns, we've got to have guns.

'It's unusual, but it's an entirely rational and reasonable response to make sure that people are aware that we've got the guns, and if we have to use them we've got people well-equipped to do that.'

The Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers - dubbed C-men - can deploy by road, river or air in the event of an emergency.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the deployment of additional patrols was a direct response to the wave of terror attacks in Europe

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, pictured unveiling his new squads in Hyde Park today, said the public were not 'fools' and understood the need for armed officers

Sir Bernard today said when Britain has 'people as enemies who've got guns, we've got to have guns' and warned potential terrorists his officers were well trained in how to use their weapons

The powerfully armed police officers showed off their skills on river today as the new patrols got underway in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Europe

The new police patrols have specialist speed boats so they can deploy from the River Thames in an emergency

But Police Federation chairman Steve White warned that it could take at least two years to get the additional 1,500 firearms officers planned nationally in place.

Some forces are also struggling to get the right quality of volunteers to go through the rigorous selection and training process.

Mr White said: 'Some forces are getting volunteers coming forward, but they are not always being selected because they don't meet the criteria.

'It is vitally important that standards are maintained. The best-case scenario is two years in terms of recruiting an extra 1,500 officers.

'If there is an attack it is unlikely to be an isolated incident. We've got to have the resources around the country because it might happen in multiple places at the same time.'

NEW POLICE TERROR OFFICERS GIVEN ADVENTURE BMW BIKES FOR MOUNTING CURBS AND DRIVING OFF-ROAD TO BEAT LONDON'S GRIDLOCKS F800GS bikes (pictured next to the new generation of armed police officers today) are powered by 798cc 4-stroke twin cylinder engines that develop 85 horse power and a top speed of 140mph The new generation of armed officers in London have been given top of the range adventure motorbikes to allow them to scramble to an incident anywhere in the capital. The new generation officers won't need training for the grey BMW F800GS motorbikes as they will ride passenger, with colleagues from the British Transport Police driving the vehicle. The motorbikes boast long suspensions and high ground clearance to make it easier to mount curbs and drive off-road. F800GS bikes are powered by 798cc 4-stroke twin cylinder engines that develop 85 horse power and a top speed of 140mph. One officer said the new bikes would allow terror police to ride off road to get around congestion on London's roads. 'Traffic can be gridlocked at the best of times - certainly in the times of an attack,' the officer told Sky News. 'If you look at Europe, at Paris and Belgium, traffic becomes a major impingement on a rapid response. 'We've looked at tactics and pillion riding with motorcycles gives us a very fast and effective response. 'The guys practice riding off road so they can bump up and down across pavements and make really good progress from A to B.' Advertisement

Home Office figures for the year to March 2016 showed that the number of armed officers in England and Wales dropped by eight, but police chiefs have insisted that forces are on track to get the extra marksmen in place over the next 18 months.

Plans to boost the number of armed police were put in place in the wake of the terrorist attack on Paris at the end of last year, when 130 people were killed.

Police forces across the country are working to recruit and train an additional 1,500 armed officers in response to the growing terror threat, with 600 of them due to be based in London

As well as patrols in the capital, the Operation Hercules officers are also set up to respond rapidly to attacks. They have BMW motorbikes to allow them to cut through traffic in an emergency

The new Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers will work hand in glove with regular Metropolitan Police units as they work to protect London from the terror threat

Ahead of today's announcement, Sir Bernard said: 'The reality of having to deal with armed and deadly attackers is that you need firearms officers who will use force to stop those attackers in their aim.

'Our firearms officers are the ones who will run towards the danger. They are our heroes.

'Despite the fact they are carrying guns, they are still police officers, and I want the public to approach and talk to them - they are out on our streets to reassure and help the public.

'Equally important in how we protect our capital is the relationship that our mainly unarmed officers have built with communities over many years.

'Our communities are a vital source of information and if you have fears or concerns then we want to know.'

Armed Metropolitan Police counter terrorism officers take part in an exercise on the River Thames in London today, as Scotland Yard announced that the first of 600 additional armed officers were trained and operationally ready, and unveiled plans to put more marksmen on public patrol

Additional armed police patrols have taken to the streets of London today in response to the spate of terror attacks in Europe despite their being no specific intelligence of an imminent threat in the UK

Sir Bernard said the use of armed patrols at landmarks and tourist hotspots was intended as a deterrent amid fears hard to detect 'lone wolf' attacks could happen at any time

NINE WEEKS OF TRAINING TO CARRY A GUN Firearms officers in the Metropolitan Police go through a rigorous selection and training process before they are allowed on to the streets with a gun. They have to pass a selection process in their local area, then one in the force's firearms department, before being put through an initial assessment. A nine-week training course follows, and upon successful completion the officer will be ready to carry a handgun, larger semi-automatic weapon and Taser. Firearms officers are deployed in teams of three in armed response vehicles, which also carry less lethal weapons such as shotguns that can be used, for example, for dangerous animals. Marksmen who want to specialise in counter-terrorism will spend a significant period of time as part of a routine firearms team, before additional training of at least three months. The elite squads, which now cover the capital 24 hours a day, are trained to operate in a range of environments including on water, abseiling and on motorbikes. In the event of terrorist gunmen staging a mass shooting, the officers are trained to go forward to confront the attackers and stop them. This may mean having to leave casualties behind, potentially including their colleagues. Advertisement

But Mr White expressed concern over cuts to neighbourhood police teams.

He said: 'Chief constables are having to make very difficult decisions in terms of managing their budgets and managing the competing priorities that they have.

'With counter-terrorism there is the top-sliced money and the extra money for firearms officers, but that is once we're having an attack.

'Of course we need them, but we must make sure that we have the relationships built up between local communities and the police service, so that people can ring the police or speak to their bobby on the street and have the confidence to raise things with them.

'If you don't have police officers having that daily contact in these communities you're never going to build these relationships.

'Over the last few years in some force areas they have had to take resources out of neighbourhood policing just to keep the wheels on in terms of reacting to incidents.

'You can't fix this overnight. The resources that have been taken out over the last couple of years is stark.'

Experts have said that police in France, which has been hit by a spate of terrorist atrocities, have struggled to contain the threat, partly because of their lack of community relationships.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he will boost the number of constables dedicated to each ward in the capital.

He said: 'We are returning to real neighbourhood policing with a second dedicated Pc in every London ward by the end of next year, to be the eyes and ears of our security services and build trust in our communities.'

National lead for firearms Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said in July that the majority of new marksmen will be in place by April 2017.

In London, Scotland Yard's existing 2,200 marksmen are being boosted by 600, and the force intends to have 'a significant uplift' in place by the end of the year.

Plans to increase the number of armed police were put in place in the wake of attacks including the atrocity in Paris at the end of last year, when 130 people were killed.

Sir Bernard said: 'We need good relationships with the public, we need them to tell us when they're worried about individuals.

'One of the ways we get that information is you know your local neighbourhood officer.

'We've all faced budgetary cuts and we've all faced some hard decisions. Every force has to make its own decisions, but we've made ours clear.'

Armed Police have already been deployed at major public events this summer, including the races at Royal Ascot and Wimbledon

The BMW F800GS motorbikes purchased for the units are intended for use if the officers need to rapidly deploy through traffic in London

Armed Metropolitan Police counter terrorism officers take part in an exercise on the River Thames in London, as Scotland Yard announced that the first of 600 additional armed officers were trained and operationally ready, and unveiled plans to put more marksmen on public patrol

As well as the armed response teams on public patrol, Scotland Yard has specialist counter-terrorism firearms squads who are on call 24 hours a day.

They are trained to operate on water and to abseil, and some teams operate on motorbikes.

Speaking in Hyde Park on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Martin Hendy said that by the end of the year there will have been 'a significant uplift' in the number of trained marksmen.

He said Scotland Yard is getting the right quality of volunteers for the job.

'I'm confident we're getting the right people and they're coming in with their eyes wide open.'

Scotland Yard stepped up its number of armed police officers on the streets of London and across the capital's parks. Above, two officers patrol near the junction of Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner in central London today

Security operations were taking place across the capital today as Scotland Yard stepped up its security following the wave of terror attacks around Europe