13 Policing the Olympics


FEMALE police officers and staff from up and down the country played their part in ensuring the London 2012 Olympic Games ran smoothly and safely. From BAWP president Cressida Dick acting as National Director for Counter Terrorism Policing to National Co- ordinator Parwinder Dale volunteering as a Games Maker. Here is a snapshot of their stories.


Welsh officers met the athletes


SERGEANT Sandra Ivens and Gwent Police colleagues worked at the Olympics for 18 days – the longest single deployment ever undertaken by the force. Their duties included patrolling the Olympic Village and external perimeter of the


Olympic Park and supporting the volunteers and armed forces at the main entry points. Officers also provided help with security at the Aquatics Centre and acted as mutual aid for the Metropolitan Police Service. While they all worked long hours Sandra still managed to meet and get her picture taken with Usain Bolt. “He was the most popular athlete in the village,” said Sandra, “I didn’t say much to him but it was a great pleasure to meet the fastest man in the world.”9


Volunteers ensure Games go ahead


MORE than 70,000 people from across the country spent part of their summer volunteering as Games Makers. Each had to give up ten days or more with no pay, expenses or accommodation to play their part in ensuring the smooth running of the 2012 Olympic Games. The volunteers had many different roles from checking tickets to providing medical support to athletes. BAWP’s national co-ordinator Parwinder Dale was one of those volunteers, a decision she says does not regret “My Games Maker journey started last


spring when I first applied for the role. I was interviewed in the summer and finally found out I had been selected in the November. I was going to be part of Event Services at the Olympic Park and I was excited. I remember going to my first


training session at Wembley; it was surreal experience with people from all walks of life coming together for one event. What stood out the most for me was meeting a Games Maker who


BOLT& Sgt 729 SANDRA IVENS Gwent Police


had volunteered in the 1948 Olympics. Another volunteer had travelled all the way from Falkland Islands to attend the training. The final part of my training was visiting the venue, then I got


Parwinder Dale volunteered as a Games Maker


my uniform and wanted the games to begin. My role was to help guests and take tickets which involved spending a lot time outside on my feet. Fortunately, the sun was shining for many of my shifts. I was able to explore the whole of the park and meet lots of different people from army personnel to someone who lived down the road from me. I even bumped into old friends and shook hands with Boris Johnson. Throughout the games the atmosphere was infectious; you could not help but be happy. One of my highlights was the opening ceremony; I was outside the stadium with the athletes, the schoolchildren who were doing the guard of honour and the performers. Yes the shifts were long and tiring but it was all worth it and I, unlike many others, got to go home to my own bed each night rather than stay in makeshift campsites or on a friend’s


floor. I am proud to say that I helped made London 2012.”9


GRAPEVINE Autumn 2012


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