Police officers ‘only have to get it wrong once’ in order for one of many threats to become reality as they take part in the UK’s biggest security operation of its kind for the Queen’s state funeral.

The nation’s final farewell, which is expected to be attended by royals and dignitaries including US president Joe Biden, will be protected by thousands of officers around Westminster Abbey.

Security arrangements at the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002 reportedly took up most of the £5.4 million total cost and the present arrangements are likely to be far more complex and larger in scale.

The Metropolitan Police are already undertaking a ‘highly complex’’ policing plan in the capital as the various agencies follow the long-established Operation London Bridge protocols.

Before security threats such as terrorism are factored in, there are the practicalities of crowd control as hundreds of thousands of mourners descend on the city over the next six days.

A demonstration of the type of myriad scenarios officers will need to be vigilant of came in December 2012 when a man armed with a crossbow travelled to Windsor Castle and threatened to kill the Queen.

The backdrop to what will be a series of focal events, also including the monarch lying in state for four days, includes a terror threat level that currently stands at ‘substantial’.

Mike Layton QPM, a former senior police officer whose career spanned three forces, told Metro.co.uk: ‘The Queen’s funeral will be the biggest event of its type ever mounted in the UK.

‘The scale is enormous, and among all of this the police only have to get it wrong once for it to have significant, negative consequences.

‘However they will also have a huge feeling of public duty, police officers take an oath to the sovereign and that sense of public duty shines through.

‘I’m sure you will see lots of photos of police officers with the public and officers trying to do their best. There will also be a large amount of mutual aid with other forces assisting the Met.

‘That response is part of a well-established national structure for mutually supporting other forces for major events.

‘There will be thousands of officers involved and many of them will be working exceptionally long hours and working away from home.

‘In terms of public safety, the emphasis will be on engagement, facilitation and a firm but friendly approach to policing. That means balancing accessibility for people versus the overall security requirements.’

Acts of civil disobedience by protestors and the continued terror threat will also appear on officers’ threat matrix as they plan for the funeral, which takes place on Monday, September 19.

Previously disclosed aspects of Operation London Bridge reveal the level of detailed planning involved after ‘D-Day’ – the day of the Queen’s death – such as for the prime minister and Cabinet to meet the coffin at St Pancras Station as it arrives in London.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners will also descend on the capital in the days before the funeral, with some queuing overnight to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state from Wednesday.

Rooftop snipers will be among the police teams securing the route of the procession to the service at Westminster Abbey.

A reminder of the need for officers and security teams to remain vigilant came today when a man ran in front of King Charles III’s car to take a picture as his convoy travelled on the A40 in west London.

Mr Layton, who was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal by Her Majesty in 2003 for services to policing performance and diversity, emphasised that no amount of planning can compensate for sharp reactions.

‘Considerations in terms of safety include terrorism and people who would use the occasion to make protests around particular issues, of which there are a number of groups to be aware of,’ he said.

‘They are a minority, but the police have to plan for it.

‘They will also have to look out for lone protestors or individuals who may want to cause disruption.

‘The contingency plans will have been around for a long time and will be well-rehearsed and well-established.

‘They will also have threat assessments based on various intelligence sources and relating to venues, days and events.

‘Threat assessments will also have been drawn up in terms of protecting high-profile figures, such as members of the Royal Family, high profile leaders and government figures.

‘However another thing that is drummed into police officers when they are out on these events is to expect the unexpected and to not be complacent about their surroundings.’

The Met, British Transport Police and City of London police have posted additional officers outside key locations in the capital, including transport hubs and royal parks and residences. Road closures are being established at a number of locations in Westminster ahead of the funeral.

Stuart Cundy, Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Met, said: ‘A great number of police officers will be on duty during this period, to ensure the safety of those visiting London and to deter any potential criminality.

‘Officers will also be offering advice to visitors, particularly those who may be unfamiliar with the city. Those visiting London are asked to remain vigilant and report any concerns to police officers on duty.’

On Wednesday, the King and other members of the royal family will attend the Palace of Westminster, where The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service at the beginning of the lying in state.

On the day of the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken in procession to Westminster Abbey a short distance away for the service.

‘Our role is to ensure this is going to be a safe and a secure set of events,’ Mr Cundy said. ‘Our policing operation is hugely complex, with a huge amount of detail within it, as you can well imagine.

‘So we’re always mindful of all manner of different potential things that might occur. We know that not just the eyes of the United Kingdom but the world will be on London at this point in time.’

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