New hotline calls on residents to help defeat terrorism
RESIDENTS have been urged to call a 24-hour police hotline if they suspect terrorist activity in their neighbourhood.
Staffordshire Police wants to highlight the importance of making a call to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline if homeowners are suspicious of incidents or individuals on their estates.
The appeal comes at the start of a nationwide campaign, funded by the Association of Chief Police Officers, to raise awareness of the confidential hotline service.
The scheme, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by specialist officers, was not launched as a result of any specific threat.
But officers believe the public can play a vital role in providing them with information that could help disrupt terrorist planning.
Assistant Chief Constable Mick Harrison, pictured, from Staffordshire Police, said: "The security situation is categorised as severe, meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely, and it is the responsibility of everyone to help keep our communities safe."
Mr Harrison said the threat from terrorism continues and warned residents cannot be complacent.
"We have seen that terrorists can strike anywhere at any time, so everyone needs to play their part," he added.
"Calls from the public have proved vital in the past, so we would much rather people ring the Anti-Terrorist Hotline and it turn out to be nothing for us to worry about, than us risk missing something important."
The Anti-Terrorist Hotline is on 0800 789 321. In emergencies dial 999.
2 Comments
by Mick Penning, newcastle, staffs
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 1:56PM
“Right on Ellie..... Or, perhaps the local Police are not telling us of their full concerns...
Perhaps they know something we don't?
Perhaps they are watching their backs.
Imagine, if some outrage did occur, and they hadn't made this request for us to be vigilant and assist where appropriate, as they have now, we could all shout from the rooftops 'Why didn't you tell us our help was needed in this area of public safety? -We could have prevented this'.
Sometimes the Police just can't win .... Caught between a rock and a hard place.
Forewarned is forearmed.
It doesn't mean we are paranoid, it simply means we are not taking any chances -til the extremists among us pose no threat to the safety on the streets.”
by Ellie, Newcastle
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 12:05PM
“WHAT TERRORISM?? This will just cause people to ring in about nothing, becasuse once u tell people to look of for suspicious behaviuor, everyones behaviuor can be seen as suspisicous, what a waste of money by staffordshire police, again”