Policing, Newham and the 2012 Olympic Games : a working paper

In this paper we describe Newham – the setting for the 2012 Olympics and the context for the Games and its policing. We also describe the various stages of Olympic policing, including Games time, before discussing some issues around the aftermath of the Games and Olympic legacy. The sometimes-pessimistic predictions of both police and a variety of commentators (including this research team) as to what the Games might bring to the Capital remained unrealised. Whether by accident or design, and senior police commanders conceded that they were unsure as to which, there were no catastrophes. In the absence of the public inquiries and commissions that often follow high-profile police operations, life in East London – for residents and police alike – quickly returned to business-as-usual following the Olympic closing ceremony. Hundreds of thousands had visited Newham, but the host borough remained an enigma.