A COUNCILLOR has blasted A £6.6million plan to base police officers on a cruise ship during the 2012 Olympic Sailing events as ‘an insult'.

County councillor Tim Munro is calling for the millions of pounds expected to be invested in accommodation in Dorset for hundreds of officers during the home Games, to be spent on ‘a lasting legacy for Weymouth and Portland'.

He argues that the estimated ‘£6.6million’ cost should be used for permanent infrastructure rather than mooring a private boat in Portland Harbour – which will then ‘sail away'.

Dorset Police has said that officers drafted in during the 2012 Olympic sailing events could be based in university halls of residence in Bournemouth and Poole or on a boat closer to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

If approved, the vessel would also be used as a briefing, deployment and feeding centre for up to 800 officers stationed on board and on land.

Organisers discussing plans for 2012 Dorset Police accommodation have ruled out military barracks, holiday camps and local schools, a spokesman said.

Coun Munro described the plans as ‘absolutely disgusting.’ He said: “If the figures are right and £6.6million is spent on housing police, then why on Earth is it not invested somewhere in Weymouth and Portland?

“A cruise ship will sail in and sail away and that’s £6million going in the pocket of the owner of the cruise ship group.

“It should be spent on a housing development to help create a permanent legacy or on the former officers’ mess site of Ocean View apartments on Portland that’s only two-thirds completed.

“Or it could be used to start a social housing project with the Synergy Housing group.”

Coun Munro added that when Canadian police chiefs brought in three cruise liners for the Vancouver Winter Games there were complaints of ‘naughty officers’ involving allegations of drunkenness, unwanted sexual advances and mislaid guns.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “No final decision has been made.

“Dorset Police are currently working through a number of options to identify the most appropriate and cost effective solution for accommodation during the Olympic operation.

“These discussions are still within the early stages.”

He added: “A number of options have already been discounted.

“These include military barracks, holiday camps and local schools for a variety of reasons including timing – because it’s the holiday season – and unavailability.

“It might be that they’re being used by another part of Olympic planning.”