With the start of the Paris Olympics just a few days away the Belgian Federal Police Service is dispatching officers and material to assist the French in what is a huge security operation. Belgian police officers will also help their French colleagues locate illegal drones in and around the sites where the Olympic Games will take place. More than 10 million visitors are expected to visit the games during the coming weeks.
Belgian Federal Police Service to dispatch officers to Paris to help French with security operation during the Olympic Games
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More than 10,000 athletes will take part in the games that get under way on Friday. More than 300 events will take place at around 40 locations. The French expect between 10 and 15 million visitors to the Games.
France has been the scene of numerous acts of terrorism in the recent past. With this in mind the French authorities wish to leave nothing to chance. A huge number of police will be present in and around the French capital.
A total of 40 countries are offering support to the French police to ensure security during the Olympic Games. The Belgian Federal Police Spokeswoman An Berger told VRT News that in any case each country is sending a liasson officer to Paris. They can pass on information from their home country to the French or vice-versa”.
Several teams on the ground
In addition to a liaison officer Belgium is also dispatching additional police teams to France:
Officers with sniffer dogs trained to detect explosives that will carry out checks at event match venues. In the past, the Belgian Defence Ministry has also hinted that it would dispatch bomb disposal experts to France.
Officers trained in the location and neutralisation of drones (however any destruction of illegal drones would be done by the French).
Officers will also be dispatched to areas of France close to the Belgian border.
Ms Berger told VRT News that “France has asked several countries to help We have looked at who we can send and in what areas we are specialised and this certainly includes anti-drone teams and explosives dogs”.
The Federal Police Service is not saying how many officers are being sent to France. However, it is likely to be several dozen each day for the duration of the games. The officers will also be deployed during the Paralympic Games starting in late August.
More checks here in Belgium too
During the Olympics there will also be increased vigilance and an increased police presence in Belgium too, particularly at railway stations where trains depart for France.
At Brussels South international railway station passengers heading for France can expect additional checks and longer waiting times before boarding their trains. Officers from the Federal Railway Police will accompany trains to Paris.