Met anti-terror police to use BMW F800GS

Anti-terror cops in London are to be deployed on the streets aboard BMW F800GSs to slice through traffic and bump up and down kerbs so they can reach incidents faster than any car driver.

• Related: BMW F 800 GS review on MCN

Riders will undergo off-road training and will carry other officers, armed with automatic rifles, on the pillion. Speaking to MCN, a spokesperson for the Met Police said: “The motorcycles would be used by our counter terrorism specialist firearms officers in the event of needing to respond to an attack, they would be used to quickly get the officers through heavy traffic.”

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The new riders are part of Operation Hercules, which will add 600 armed officers to the Met Police. Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, said: “Anyone who’s been following events in Europe over the past few weeks will understand why we want to show our determination to protect the public. We are deadly serious about the protection that we are offering the people of London and we will never be complacent.

“I want the public to know that we have substantial resources and a range of tactics that we can call on to protect them.

“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.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The safety and security of all Londoners is my first priority, and our police and security services are working incredibly hard every day on our behalf.

“‎The threat level here in London has not changed, but it does remain at severe and especially in light of recent deadly attacks in Europe it is important we are prepared should the unthinkable happen.

“We will see more armed officers on our streets, but there is no reason to be alarmed. All of our police officers are playing their part and working closely with all of our communities to prevent the possibility of an attack.

‎”Our armed response teams do a very difficult job. They put their own lives at risk every day and are at the front line of protection for Londoners across our city.”

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