The nation’s preparations for a large-scale security incident were put to the test last week as the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and Counter Terrorism Policing planned and conducted a national exercise to simulate their response to an extreme national security emergency.
Taking place between 5 and 7 February, more than 120 members of the armed forces, policing and government simulated their joint response to a national emergency, such as a major terrorist incident.
The exercise – known as Octacine 2 – was part of the government’s regular counter-terrorism efforts. The focus was to test the ability of police and military to work together in extreme circumstances, as well as familiarising personnel with different sites and participating in joint briefings.
Octacine 2 built on a previous, similar exercise and was designed to simulate the deployment of military personnel to support the Strategic Armed Policing Reserve.
Armed police officers were temporarily redeployed from their routine roles in order to respond to a major national security incident, protecting and reassuring the public in a time of heightened tension.
It simulated the response that would be deployed under Operation Temperer, a contingency plan drawn up in 2015 to provide military support to the police in extreme national emergency circumstances, such as surge support in response to a major domestic terrorist attack or threat. It covers all of Great Britain, and is directed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council Counter Terrorism Coordination Committee.
The exercise included a live-play exercise, when the Operation Temperer national mobilisation coordination centre was stood up and military and police personnel were deployed to 11 sites across Great Britain.
Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said:
Exercises like Octacine 2 are vital to ensure that our armed forces and policing partners are able to work well together to protect the British public from ever present threats.
I am grateful for their tireless and dedicated work in serving our country, and their ongoing preparation to perform those critical roles that keep us safe.
Minister for Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said:
Our national security is the foundation for this government’s Plan for Change and exercises like this are critically important to ensure we can respond to threats quickly and effectively.
I’d like to thank all members of our armed forces who are held at readiness throughout the year, ready to keep the public and country safe at a moment’s notice.
The training, while routine, is crucial for the armed forces to support policing partners and respond effectively in case of a major incident. This routine exercise allows us to test coordination and teamwork with various partners while also providing a visible presence to reassure and protect the public in instances of high-risk and national security incidents.
