A police and crime commissioner (PCC) has made another top-level plea calling on Home Secretary Theresa May to review the UK’s “seriously exposed” maritime port security.
Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill fears that unless action is taken, it could lead to a “catastrophic attack” with potential “massive” loss of life.

His warnings come as a damning review by the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration – commissioned a year ago but only published this week – reveals a “chaotic scenario” nationwide.

Only three Border Force cutters are defending Britain’s shores while aerial surveillance capability stops in a fortnight – with no forward contract or plan, according to Mr Underhill.

The inspection gave maritime Border Force staff ‘poor’ ratings in 26 out of 27 areas concerning knowledge of threats and risks facing the UK.

Branding the current situation “unacceptable”, Mr Underhill, a retired detective chief inspector, added: “The inspection also found that there was a significant gap between the information available to people arriving via sea ports versus those arriving by air.

“The lack of a risk assessment tool for maritime security arrivals also put the Border Force at a further disadvantage.

“The Home Secretary is responsible for the security of our ports, this situation is unacceptable, and significantly, my last letter, highlighting the same issues in early December, remains unanswered.

“We need an urgent review of staffing, strategy and funding, before we suffer a catastrophic attack,” he said.

Citing examples of perceived security problems, Mr Underhill claims that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Paris atrocity ringleader, came into the UK through Dover – the most secure port – totally “unchallenged”, despite being subject of a Belgian arrest warrant.

He went on to explain that Border Force informants say the system is “failing” in maritime ports, and the inspection reveals “clear gaps in capability and competence”.

Mr Underhill’s second written protest to Mrs May in as many months cites: “To ignore the obvious failings in the Border Force may lead to our citizens suffering an attack of such ferocity that neither your government, nor your personal career, will survive.

“The potential for loss of life would be, quite simply, massive and catastrophic.”

It was only last month that the Dorset PCC warned of the effects of UK intelligence officers being relocated to major cities where the threat of terrorism is thought to be higher following a review.

He claimed it would leave the country’s ‘porous’ ports “vulnerable to attack” and
asked the Home Secretary and the Policing Lead for Counter Terrorism, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, to “think again” about the changes.

“Port security should not be an afterthought,” said Mr Underhill. “It needs to be part of our day-to-day business. We need to know who is coming in and out of our ports.”

His new letter comes two months after Christchurch MP Chris Chope derided the Home Office’s decision to end the UK’s maritime surveillance capability at Bournemouth Airport as “mad”.

The government has repeatedly insisted that such cuts have not increased the threat to the UK and that its security services have successfully foiled a number of terrorist attacks.

In November Mrs May announced that funding would be confirmed for an additional 1,900 security and intelligence officers – increasing the size of British security forces by 15 per cent.

However, while the Government has announced its intention to protect the funding for counter-terrorism and policing, there has been no word as to the funding status of the UK Border Force.

“Discussions are ongoing with regard to the Border Force,” said a spokesperson for the Home Office.

Source: policeprofessional.com, 18 January 2016