G4S Lack of Security Staff for Olympics

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I would expect that many large organisations would have been able to make it happen - the Royal Mail manage to take on more people every Christmas.

There was an interesting call on Radio 5 today from one of the chaps working in Manchester - it really sounded like a shambles!
He applied in February - His referee was only called on Wednesday last week, he has since started the job having had no training at all, or even uniform, and was given a 20 minute introduction and left to get on with it.

I feel that the the tasks required by Royal Mail for their Christmas period temporary staff are somewhat different than those of security operatives for the Olympic Games.

The matter of the incident that you state as being reported on Radio 5 should be followed up immediately, as if this is true, G4S have committed an offence by employing an untrained person. All this person would have to show was the SIA badge that is sent direct to the person concerned by the SIA, not from any security company and on that basis, since it is stated that no uniform was also issued, anyone in possession of a valid SIA badge could turn up at that particular site. Is anyone aware of any such action being taken by the relevant authorities ?

 

[Clip]

I heard something like 19 out of the 56 contracted G4S staff actually turned up hock:

Doesnt surprise me, but then again those that they trained ages ago may have found work in other places ratehr then just wait a while for 9 weeks worth of work.

 

[NSEFAN]

You are assuming that it had to be a private security organisation.

When you are paying approximately £30k per person for a few weeks work, I would expect that many large organisations would have been able to make it happen - the Royal Mail manage to take on more people every Christmas.

If the operation had been publicly run from the start, the government would have risked taking the blame for any failures which would have (likely, in my view) occured.

If G4S had been a success, then the government would have scored points off the "excellent decisions made and superb planning of the games". Since this hasn't happened and problems have arisen, they can now wash their hands of the immediate blame and then be seen stepping in to save the day, again scoring political points. The same thing happens with the railways, so why should other ventures be any different?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If the operation had been publicly run from the start, the government would have risked taking the blame for any failures which would have (likely, in my view) occured.

If G4S had been a success, then the government would have scored points off the "excellent decisions made and superb planning of the games". Since this hasn't happened and problems have arisen, they can now wash their hands of the immediate blame and then be seen stepping in to save the day, again scoring political points. The same thing happens with the railways, so why should other ventures be any different?

This will apply to both the present and to the previous Government, as both were in power during the planning stages.

 

[lincolnshire]

Looking the internet last night I found G4S require security staff for the Olympics in various location around the country a well paid job looking after the security of various venues etc. all for the pricely sum of £8-50 per hour, bet you could get the same if not more frying chips ( sorry french fries) and burgers at a well known major retail outlet with out all the aggro.
Will the army and police be getting paid £8-50 per hour?.

It seems like another almighty cock up !

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There was an interesting call on Radio 5 today from one of the chaps working in Manchester - it really sounded like a shambles! .... He applied in February - His referee was only called on Wednesday last week, he has since started the job having had no training at all, or even uniform, and was given a 20 minute introduction and left to get on with it.

Radio 5, being a national broadcaster, should pass all this information onto the SIA and any other regulatory bodies at once, in order that this matter should be throughly investigated.

 

[Clip]

I feel that the the tasks required by Royal Mail for their Christmas period temporary staff are somewhat different than those of security operatives for the Olympic Games.

The matter of the incident that you state as being reported on Radio 5 should be followed up immediately, as if this is true, G4S have committed an offence by employing an untrained person. All this person would have to show was the SIA badge that is sent direct to the person concerned by the SIA, not from any security company and on that basis, since it is stated that no uniform was also issued, anyone in possession of a valid SIA badge could turn up at that particular site. Is anyone aware of any such action being taken by the relevant authorities ?

Then again we dont know in what role he was employed in. Not every role within G4S requires an SIA accreditation and shiny badge

 

[Butts]

Then again we dont know in what role he was employed in. Not every role within G4S requires an SIA accreditation and shiny badge

You can employ someone if they have passed "the knowledge " and have an SIA Licence application number - ie they have applied , it takes a while to process the paperwork.

By the way the badge is not shiny its Blue (quite appropriate )

 

[Clip]

You can employ someone if they have passed "the knowledge " and have an SIA Licence application number - ie they have applied , it takes a while to process the paperwork.

By the way the badge is not shiny its Blue (quite appropriate )

Blue badges can be shiny too, just look at the hologram part of it

 

[swj99]

I'm still not sure that holding the games in such a heavily populated area was such a good idea. I just hope it doesn't cause too much disruption for the people who live and work near it.

I reckon everyone involved in the security farce will be at pains to point out why it was not their fault.

thousands of teenagers for security.
As every day passes the security looks more and more like a badly run cowboy outfit.

Is this him ?

 

[Johnuk123]

I'm still not sure that holding the games in such a heavily populated area was such a good idea. I just hope it doesn't cause too much disruption for the people who live and work near it.

I reckon everyone involved in the security farce will be at pains to point out why it was not their fault.



Is this him ?

Well I'm sure the Milky Bar Kid couldn't have been any worse.

 

[Oswyntail]

Well I'm sure the Milky Bar Kid couldn't have been any worse.

Certainly not, given "The milkybar kid is strong and tough,
Only the best is good enough"

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder how many Olympic organising committees of the various nations who will be attending the 2012 Olympic Games are currently wondering how London was ever awarded these games in the first place, having seen all the current troubles that are still existing with only a matter of a few more days before these games are officially opened?

 

[142094]

They're probably thankful that they don't have to waste billions on something like this in the middle of a recession.

 

[Butts]

They're probably thankful that they don't have to waste billions on something like this in the middle of a recession.

Excise Duty and VAT on Tobacco for 10 months will cover the whole cost quite easily

 

[Clip]

I wonder how many Olympic organising committees of the various nations who will be attending the 2012 Olympic Games are currently wondering how London was ever awarded these games in the first place, having seen all the current troubles that are still existing with only a matter of a few more days before these games are officially opened?

Or maybe they realise they dont have a crystal ball to forsee into the future and realise that certain departments and companies have not stuck to their promises?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Or maybe they realise they dont have a crystal ball to forsee into the future and realise that certain departments and companies have not stuck to their promises?

The trouble is that they only see what now exists in reality....and it is not good. The British media love going abroad to see if they can "pick holes" in the planning of very large overseas events....one might even say that they take a sadistic delight in doing so. Maybe the foreign media will now take the same delight in turning the tables on their British media counterparts.

 

[Clip]

The trouble is that they only see what now exits in reality....and it is not good. The British media love going abroad to see if they can "pick holes" in the planning of very large overseas events....one might even say that they take a sadistic delight in doing so. Maybe the foreign media will now take the same delight in turning the tables on their British media counterparts.

They already are, with some rather distastefull comments from a German paper claiming these are now the Militarised games/country whilst slighty forgetting that the biggest atrocity of the Olympic games actually hapenned on their watch.

And the British press appear to be doing a good job slagging them games of themselves to not even warrant foreign media doing so.

Though if you follow the likes of twitter and such like, most of the athletes and that are rather quite happy with it all so far.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

We do indeed seem to concur about the type of reporting methods used by both the British and the foreign media.

 

[ACE1888]

Two things...'British mentality' to focus on the Negative...FACT
G4S? A joke company, couldn't organise a pi** up in a Brewery
'And with this statement, I rest my case M'Lord'

 

[WestCoast]

They already are, with some rather distastefull comments from a German paper claiming these are now the Militarised games/country whilst slighty forgetting that the biggest atrocity of the Olympic games actually hapenned on their .

Don't believe everything you read in the tabloids, part of it was published in the satire section of a magazine! I read the original article and as per usual the Mail et al. have twisted it around to suit their agenda(s). Plus, it was wryly affectionate about London, which the London based writer has no doubt picked up from Londonders themselves. It's like quoting Have I Got News For You and saying that's how the press in country X are reporting it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Two things...'British mentality' to focus on the Negative...FACT
G4S? A joke company, couldn't organise a pi** up in a Brewery
'And with this statement, I rest my case M'Lord'

For G4S, this is a public relations nightmare. It's like poor press coverage on a worldwide scale and they operate in so many countries with lots of high level contracts. I reckon they'll be counting the cost of this one for some time to come.

 

[Oswyntail]

Compared with other Games, these are going ahead remarkably smoothly - the British do tend to be able to organise things. The athletes I have heard from are impressed with the facilities, in the village and elsewhere. Of course the acid test comes at the actual events, but compared with any of the last dozen games we are ahead of the game!

 

[Butts]

Compared with other Games, these are going ahead remarkably smoothly - the British do tend to be able to organise things. The athletes I have heard from are impressed with the facilities, in the village and elsewhere. Of course the acid test comes at the actual events, but compared with any of the last dozen games we are ahead of the game!

Can you actually visit the site or have a vantage point from outside. I have a layover at LHR on Tues on my way to Luxembourg and would like to see what all the fuss is about !!!. What would be the closest tube - talking about main stadium.

 

[burneside]

They already are, with some rather distastefull comments from a German paper claiming these are now the Militarised games/country whilst slighty forgetting that the biggest atrocity of the Olympic games actually hapenned on their watch.

There's a bloody great warship outside my front window with helicopters coming and going at all hours, missiles stationed on rooftops and within parks, and troops billeted in the old Tobacco Dock shopping centre in Wapping. As fas as I'm concerned, London has been militarised for these games.

 

[Johnuk123]

There's a bloody great warship outside my front window with helicopters coming and going at all hours, missiles stationed on rooftops and within parks, and troops billeted in the old Tobacco Dock shopping centre in Wapping. As fas as I'm concerned, London has been militarised for these games.

Surely you can never have too much security.

 

[burneside]

Surely you can never have too much security.

Fine, if you want people to think they are witnessing a prelude to war, rather than a sporting event.

 

[Johnuk123]

Fine, if you want people to think they are witnessing a prelude to war, rather than a sporting event.

UK citizens are returning daily from overseas terror training camps with all the skills required to launch an atrocity.

Then of course you have all the various criminals/terrorists that were allowed in under Labours "open door" policy.

London is know thoughout the world as the top haven for every Tom, Dick and Abdul on the run from other countries.

Terrorist recruits from all over Africa and the Middle East flocked here and were given asylum by the Labour Govt.

Seven of the terrorists held at Guantánamo were given refuge in Britain before going to Afghanistan for terrorist training.

We needn't worry about suspected terrorsts arriving here in the coming days it's too late far too late they're here already.

Let's just hope that the Olympics goes off without a scratch.

 

[SS4]

UK citizens are returning daily from overseas terror training camps with all the skills required to launch an atrocity.

So what are we meant to do with them? Lock them up without trial?

Then of course you have all the various criminals/terrorists that were allowed in under Labours "open door" policy.

Should have known this would be Labour's fault. Still, thought you'd blame Brussels on this one. Remember those Libyans fleeing their country to whom Italy granted visas? France suspended Schengen.

London is know throughout the world as the top haven for every Tom, Dick and Abdul on the run from other countries.

Citation needed. I always thought the USA was the top haven.

Terrorist recruits from all over Africa and the Middle East flocked here and were given asylum by the Labour Govt.

Citation needed. How do you know they're terrorists? Were they convicted?

Seven of the terrorists held at Guantánamo were given refuge in Britain before going to Afghanistan for terrorist training.

That camp is incompatible with civil liberties, sad as it sounds it's a chance we had to take

We needn't worry about suspected terrorists arriving here in the coming days it's too late far too late they're here already.

Let's just hope that the Olympics goes off without a scratch.

Probably but that's no excuse not to be vigilant. If we took your scaremongering at face value then surely there would have been several successful attacks before now.

Terrorism will be around as long as there is economic inequality or religious values cannot be questioned.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Say what you like about Labour but at least they pretended to be for the people instead of the elite.

Surely you can never have too much security.

You can. After a set amount security and liberty become mutually exclusive, you could be secure by imposing an enforcing a curfew but this is a free country, why shouldn't people be allowed out?
As Franklin said "Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither."

Interestingly (idk if it's been posted) G4S staff claim to have been let down by G4S. This doesn't surprise me entirely: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18877744

 

[ainsworth74]

You can.

Nope you can't we are at this very moment in dreadful danger! The only hope we have is to install CCTV in every home and ensure that every person is fingerprinted and their DNA recorded! After all if you've nothing to hide then you've nothing to fear :roll:

 

[jon0844]

There's a bloody great warship outside my front window with helicopters coming and going at all hours, missiles stationed on rooftops and within parks, and troops billeted in the old Tobacco Dock shopping centre in Wapping. As fas as I'm concerned, London has been militarised for these games.

And that never happened in Beijing or any other city that got the Games? The army were clearly 'on display' in China, but never felt threatening to me at all. In fact, they were happily allowing people to take photos of them or stand next to them for photos.

Why can I just imagine that the G4S staff will probably refuse to have their picture taken and be rude to the visitors in comparison?

I'm certain the army will be told to be friendly at all times. Given the discipline, I'd expect them to do so and be very welcoming.

As for disrupting the Olympics, I was in London yesterday and believe there were two lines affected by 'one unders'. I then thought that any potential suicide bombers could be more effective by simply throwing themselves under trains and causing chaos.