West Midlands Police chief picking up tips on Commonwealth Games trip

Dave Thompson is heading up a delegation of officers from West Midlands Police on a fact-finding mission at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

He was all smiles as he chatted with volunteers and locals, who he said had been ‘hallmarks’ of the event.

The five-strong group from WMP is part of an observer programme run by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which has seen the force working alongside Queensland Police in a bid to pick up tips.

WMP will launch one of its biggest ever security operations in the summer of 2022 when Birmingham is set to host the event.

And according to the Chief Constable, Aussie cops have taught him the importance of creating a happy atmosphere around the streets and venues of the Gold Coast, with the police presence kept low key.

He said: “We have got some technical learning around some of the security staff that have been employed here, but one of the big pieces I have taken away so far, is how important it is to get a friendly feel to the games, in terms of the police, in terms of volunteers, in terms of the staff, so that people are coming here to have a great time.

Partnership

“Security should be as invisible to them as possible.

“The games in Birmingham take place in a different context as they do here in Australia, but actually some of the principles are really similar.

“So it feels really important for me how we build a strong partnership right from the start with the city council, and we look at emergency services, transportation, to make sure actually that the team around the games makes sure they are successful and friendly, but also very safe.

“We’ve seen some good partnership practice here that makes us think about our strategy going forward.”

Mr Thompson has adopted the role of the casual observer during his trip Down Under, and was seen sporting a white polo shirt, tan chinos, and beige deck shoes as he strolled around the streets accompanied by uniformed officers from Queensland Police.

He said that he could not ‘praise enough’ the support WMP had received from the local force during the visit, praising the ‘quality of the professional, friendly policing they are delivering’ at the Games.

The delegation from WMP also includes Inspector Lisa Jayne-Robson from the force’s operations department.

They are part of a wider group of organisations from the region that are hoping to learn from how Australia hosts the event.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is in attendance, although he is also meeting with potential investors in Sydney and Brisbane to test the waters around potential post-Brexit trade deals.

Birmingham was announced as the host city for the 2022 Games in December.

It came after the bidding process had been reopened following the CGF’s decision to strip Durban, South Africa, of hosting rights because it failed to meet the necessary criteria.

As part of the multi-million pound plans for the Birmingham games, a sate-of-the-art aquatics centre is planned for the Londonberry Playing Fields in Smethwick, featuring an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 25m diving pool and room for up to 5,000 spectators.

Delegates from the West Midlands have already visited the Optus Aquatics Centre in the Gold Coast to learn about its design and delivery ahead of construction of the Sandwell centre.

Arrests

Away from the sporting events this year’s Games has not been without incident.

There were three arrests during a protest by Indigenous Australians outside the Carrara Stadium as the opening ceremony took place.

It came after demonstrators chanted: “No justice, no Games,” and tried to force their way inside. And another demonstration threatened to disrupt the Queen’s baton relay as it completed the final approach through Queensland state.

Meanwhile, a 52-year-old Commonwealth Games delegate from Mauritius has been charged with sexually assaulting a female squad member on the Gold Coast last week.

Kaysee Teeroovengadum, who has now stepped down from his role with the team, is alleged to have assaulted the woman on March 29.