Cumbria's chief constable says there is no end to the terror threat in sight – and that people should get used to armed officers on the county’s streets.

Jerry Graham also called for more money to be put into neighbourhood policing to stop people being radicalised before it got to the point they were “jumping from a van with a knife”.

He was speaking in a week when another terrorist attack took place in London outside a mosque in Finsbury Park.

One man, who had been taken ill before the attack began, died and nine others were taken to hospital, some critically injured.

Mr Graham’s comments follow the sight of armed officers at a number of high-profile events in Carlisle, inluding the Cumberland Show and Race for Life last weekend.

Police with guns have also recently been seen at Appleby Horse Fair and pop concerts at Brunton Park in Carlisle.

Mr Graham, speaking exclusively to the News & Star as the terror threat remained at a severe level, said there would continue to be:

  • Armed officers on the streets in Cumbria
  • More events being policed
  • More officers with dogs at gatherings and events.

He said: “I don’t recall a time during my career when there was a continued period of tension like this.

“We are in unusual days and you wonder when it will return to normal.

“I don’t think we can assume that it will.”

Mr Graham – Cumbria’s most senior police officer – said the county had adopted the national policing approach.

“We are prepared and we have the ability to protect the public if required,” he said.

“There is no specific threat to the county but we can’t be complacent.

“Cumbria is a heavily populated place at this time of year and we host a significant number of events. We are conscious of that.

“Armed officers are there for reassurance and people have been thanking us at events for being there.”

Armed officers will be present throughout the summer in crowded places, like the Kendal Calling music festival near Penrith next month.

The government has upped the number of firearms officers – particularly in London – but Mr Graham said more money also needs to go into neighbourhood policing.

He said: “It’s too late when someone is driving down a street and jumping from a van with a knife. We need more police and police community support officers on the street.

“We need people to report things if they see or hear anything suspicious.


Jerry Graham “If someone new moves into a flat next door and you suspect anything then let us know.

“We want to stop anything happening before they become radicalised.

“We want to have preventative measures in place and people to give us the heads-up before anything happens.”

Mr Graham said the county has a great partnership with other forces and that some of his officers had been to help following the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena.

“In the event of an emergency we support each other,” he said.

“Officers from Lancashire and the north east helped us in the aftermath of the Derrick Bird shootings [in west Cumbria].”

The Cumbria branch of the Police Federation has concerns over police numbers and cash – and the impact this could have in the event of a terror strike.

Martin Plummer, chairman of the staff association which represents rank and file officers, said: “We all have to be aware.

“We have events in Cumbria where there will be many thousands of people.

“There are few places more crowded than the Lake District in the summer.

“So we have to make sure that we have our finger on the pulse.”

Mr Plummer added: “We need to have good firearms capability and counter-terrorism officers so we can combat the threat and the risk.

“Our number one priority is to protect the public.

“And for me, from a Federation perspective, I want to protect my officers.

“When terror strikes, police run towards the danger while everyone else runs away.

“You don’t want to be sending single officers to incidents.

“In terms of numbers, we need to look at the demand and what we are trying to achieve.

“We need to take stock.

“The Met did a brilliant job to neutralise the threat in the London Bridge terror attack in eight minutes.

“But Cumbria is a different ballgame.

“A spontaneous attack here would lead to: ‘Where could the nearest response be?’

“We don’t have the luxury of the Met or the bigger forces.

“We are spread more thinly and have greater distances to travel to respond.”

Mr Plummer, who was a firearms officer for eight years, said he had to train at the highest level.

He said: “It’s not like taking your driving test. You train every month to the highest standard and that comes at a great cost.

“If you didn’t achieve the standard then you had your ticket taken away.

“It’s a rigorous process from the start and the level of experienced competence has to be great.”