To ask why the Met are at Balmoral?

[Londonlas]

Have watched some of the coverage and can’t help but notice that the police around Balmoral seem to be Metropolitan officers?

Is that right? Why aren’t the local Scottish officers there? Is that because of the death of the queen? How did they get them up there so quickly?

I’ve clearly thought about this too much.

Thanks knowledgable mumsnetters.

“So quickly”? Its not that far from London to Balmoral.

No idea on the rest of your post sorry!

Aren't the Met responsible for royal protection? If so they'd have been there anyway.

Think of the huge crowds, the security involved and I suspect that there aren't enough local police to cover that and provide normal policing cover.

Partly why big events and footie games been cancelled because of police resources

@Tort I was referring to the very first footage from Balmoral, as the death was announced.

Only 500 miles 😂

SO14 Royalty Protection Group is a component of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Protection Command. SO14 is responsible for guarding the Royal Family and associated residences and consists of a number of sections, namely Personal and Close Protection, Residential Protection and the Special Escort Group.

www.eliteukforces.info/police/SO14-royalty-protection/#:~:text=SO14%20Royalty%20Protection%20Group%20is,and%20the%20Special%20Escort%20Group.

Royalty and Specialist Protection command officers always travel to Balmoral with the monarch.

The Met have control of the Royal Protection teams. They are drawn from all forces, but primarily the Met.

10,000 extra coppers will be working in London every day through this, on mutual aid from all Forces in the country. Firearms officers will be in especial demand for duties.

There will be a lot of very tired police after this - overtime will also be enormous and shifts will be long.

MPS Royalty Protection Officers always travel with her to Balmoral

I believe there is a Branch of the Met that are specialised Royal Protection Officers that are particularly tasked for this job., and are specificly trained for any threats etc. Local police are there, but Royal Protection squads are in charge.
I believe the Queen is being moved today to Palace of Holyrood so no doubt they will move there as the Royal Family depart Balmoral.

I would imagine that you need royal protection officers to co-ordinate all the local responses as the late Queen is moved back to London. You have to have a group of people who are responsible for the whole process from start to finish.

Same would happen if it was anywhere in England apart from London, it wouldn't just be the local police force

The met have always been stationed at the gates when the Queen is there.

Only 500 miles 😂

Yes - not that far. Certainly not a distance that it’s mysterious that people got there by now.

This . They did not swoop.in they are always with her,

Partly because they're always with royalty partly due to mutual aid arrangements in place for dealing with large events and incidents. It won't only be the Met involved the funeral. Police officers from all over the country will provide support, as well as all the secret service agencies.

Also, there probably aren’t many police with relevant expertise locally. I imagine the local force in a large rural area will deal with all the usual routine crime stuff, and liaise as needed with the Met force present when the RF are at Balmoral.

Local police will be handling local issues, crowds, traffic management etc The security alert will be the highest level, especially as today is the anniversary of 9/11

Same would happen if it was anywhere in England apart from London

Balmoral is in Scotland, I'd expect them to have their own protection force for senior politicians etc, they have their own Police Force?

the met officers will be the ones with the funding, training and resources to deal with this situation, rather than the grampian police

Just watching the cortege leave Balmoral and I'm stunned at all the police outriders, police vans and accompanying cars. Yes I'd obviously expect police protection but it seems very ott.

Resist, resist, res…

if I could walk 500 miles… 😊

I’m getting extremely annoyed at the police along the route standing with their backs to the cortege and not removing their hats as the hearse passes by. I know it’s for crowd control/security reasons but it seems very disrespectful.
Don’t get me started on the ghouls with their mobiles out filming it all.

Protection officers are assigned to the individual regardless where they are. Those officers are part of the Met (because they have to be homed somewhere)

Thinking of the relationship a protection officer has with their guard it would be a risk to have those people change because they are in a different location