In the News: Security Secrets Left On Train
Top secret security documents detailing plans for policing this summer’s London Olympics was left on a train. The file, which could have provided terrorists planning an attack with very useful data, was lost by a policeman.
A commuter found it and handed it to The Sun, who returned the file to the police, the newspaper reported Tuesday. The chief inspector in Scotland Yard’s Territorial Policing branch is said to be “hugely embarrassed” by the potentially serious blunder.
“Restricted” files spell out the security plans in place at the sites of events and provide minutes of top-level meetings in which ways to beat terrorists were discussed. The document contains dates and details of pre-Olympics rehearsals, explains emergency lockdown procedures and sets out plans to avoid traffic congestion. It also reports at length on damning complaints from officers about the radios they will use during the Olympics.
The documents were found by a commuter on a train in Dartford in Kent, southeastern England, on Jan. 5. “I couldn’t believe any policeman could have left this on a train. It’s a worry,” the unnamed commuter said.
London’s Metropolitan Police played down the incident, saying the files were not thought to be operationally sensitive. A spokeswoman said, “An officer lost his bag containing a number of documents. He reported the loss. The Directorate of Professional Standards have been informed, as is routine.”
Just like personnel “losing” firearms that should be holstered at all times… but that for some reason end up on some public toilet’s floor (it happens with regularity and even at the highest levels).
Acceptable? Never, of course, but people are people. This is one thing that worries me when I see guys work double shifts or hold two jobs. They’re still expected to operate at 100% when it’s clearly unreasonable to expect it.
Unacceptable on all levels! This officer should have had these “sensitive” details on his person and not in a bag. Just my opinion though.