Police patrolling this weekend's Notting Hill carnival will deploy knife scanner arches across the tube network, carry metal detector wands and use special dog units to create a "hostile environment" for criminals, a senior Scotland Yard detective said yesterday.
Video surveillance officers will also scrutinise live CCTV footage of the annual west London street party to pick out known criminals and troublemakers among a crowd of around 750,000.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is in charge of policing, said a handful of arrests had already been made during 24 raids in the run-up to this weekend and a number of knives and a gun with ammunition recovered.
Police will work alongside Operation Blunt 2, the Met's large ongoing anti-knife drive, while a number of specialist dog units will target those who bring illegal dogs to the carnival to use as weapons.
Two hundred new wands have been purchased to be used alongside existing kit by the 5,000 officers due to work at the carnival on Sunday and the 6,000 on Monday. "We are trying to make the carnival a hostile environment for anyone who wants to go to commit crimes and disorder," he said.
"As well as the warrants we've issued we have sent 200 letters to known people advising them not to come to carnival. I would say if you get a search wand put over you there's nothing to worry about, it's just to make sure everyone is safe.
"There are 750,000 people coming to carnival this weekend. The vast majority will have a good safe time. It's just the minority we want to deter."
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Crowther of the British Transport police said metal detection arches would be deployed throughout the tube network "sending a very clear message: don't bring weapons because we could be anywhere".
His sentiments were echoed by Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, who said: "There is no excuse for anyone to take a weapon to the carnival."
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