Dyfed-Powys Police 'prepared' for terror threats
- Published
Milford Haven Port is the biggest energy port in Britain, providing up to 30% of the country's gas requirements
Dyfed-Powys Police says it has "sufficiently robust" plans to deal with terror attacks on high-profile targets like Milford Haven Port.
The force's Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn singled out Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire - home of the UK's largest energy port - as a potential target.
But he stressed officers had "the capability" to protect the public.
He said extra firearms officers had been recruited.
Dafydd Llywelyn was elected Dyfed-Powys' police and crime commissioner in May 2016
The force, which covers Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys, has set up teams of firearms officers at three "hubs" across the area, Mr Llywelyn told a Dyfed-Powys police and crime panel meeting in Carmarthen.
Although Mr Llywelyn did not want to reveal the hub locations, he said the units enabled the force to deploy its firearms officers quickly to any part of the Dyfed-Powys area.
He said: "Because of the geography of the Dyfed-Powys force area, we have these hubs to protect the public at, for example, Milford Haven Port and waterway, which is a key infrastructure site."
A spokesman for Milford Haven Port, which has two giant liquefied natural gas terminals, declined to comment.
The PCC had been responding to a question from Independent Carmarthenshire councillor Jim Jones about the force's ability to respond quickly to a terror threat.
Public protection against terrorism is "a key priority area" for Dyfed-Powys Police, the PCC told a police and crime panel meeting
Mr Jones had asked: "Given the high number of potential targets within the large geographical area covered by Dyfed-Powys Police, has the commissioner discussed with the chief constable what arrangements the force has in place to respond to such attacks?
"Assuming those discussions have occurred, is the commissioner satisfied that those arrangements are sufficiently robust to protect the public as far as possible, no matter where or when such an incident might occur?"
Mr Llywelyn replied: "In terms of the reassurance, the answer is yes."
He added: "There has been an uplift in the number of firearms officers.
"We have a duty to ensure we have the capability to protect the public."
Supplying the UK
Milford Haven has two terminals - South Hook and Dragon LNG - which have received giant tankers carrying liquefied natural gas from the Middle East since 2009.
The terminals are capable of supplying about 30% of the UK's gas requirements.
Liquefied natural gas is a form of natural gas which has been converted to liquid form by cooling it to a temperature of -160°C.
In its liquid form, it occupies much less space than gas, making it easier and more cost effective to transport.
It is turned back into gas at the Milford Haven terminals and pumped into the UK network along a specially-built pipeline running from Milford Haven to Gloucestershire.
- Published25 November 2016
- Published18 May 2015
