Metropolitan Police Authority remembers outstanding MPS response to Asian Tsunami

66/05
23 December 2005

December 26 2005 will mark the first anniversary of the south-east Asian tsunami. The scale and nature of the disaster initially required an unprecedented response from the Metropolitan Police Service.

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) received regular updates on ‘Operation Bracknell’, its progress and implications, and Aneeta Prem, magistrate member of the Authority, took lead interest.

Aneeta Prem said:

“The entire UK police response to this disaster was outstanding and illustrates the high levels of training and commitment achieved by our officers and staff on a national scale.

“The MPA was proud of the role played by the multi-skilled teams of Met officers and staff, 187 in all, that were dispatched to Thailand and Sri Lanka. The teams included those with specialist forensic experience, expertise in liaising with bereaved families (family liaison officers), and experience in working on crime scenes and body recovery. The scale and complexity of the investigation was enormous and presented significant challenges.

“Members of the Authority had a duty to ensure all Met staff were operating in the best possible conditions under the circumstances, and that full occupational health facilities were available should they be required and I went to Thailand to report back on the conditions under which our staff were working. Seeing the scale of the work at first hand gave me a unique understanding of the complexities involved.

“I cannot stress enough the harrowing circumstances under which officers and staff worked. The very nature of the recovery and identification process itself, together with the long hours and working conditions involved, made this the most arduous and demanding work imaginable.

“I know that the commitment to the task, on behalf of all those in the UK who had an agonising wait for definitive news, has been sincerely appreciated and helped families to achieve closure on their personal tragedy.”

Aneeta concluded:

“We should remember that six UK nationals are still missing in Thailand. Our thoughts remain with their families, together with all those who will be remembering loved ones on this first anniversary. And to the people of those nations so drastically affected by the tsunami, and who continue to rebuild their communities and lives, we offer our continued support.”

Notes to editors

1. ‘Operation Bracknell’ was originally led and co-ordinated by the Metropolitan Police but from 17 January 2005 took on a national structure. All British personnel were working to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it became an international operation for recovery.

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