POLICING the sailing event for the 2012 Olympic Games will be the biggest challenge Dorset Police has ever faced.

This is the view of Chief Constable Martin Baker speaking 10 months before Weymouth and Portland welcomes 380 competitors from 61 nations for the main Olympic events in July and August and the Paralympic competitors in early September.

The games will see a 61-day operation mounted in the borough, which will see the waters in that region subject to round-the-clock security.

Mr Baker said: “When London’s name was announced for the Olympics, we knew Weymouth and Portland would be the host for the Olympic sailing event.

“So we felt massive excitement closely followed with the realisation this is going to be probably the biggest challenge the force is going to face in terms of the fact the world’s media will be watching anything that happens here.

“There is the very real danger that any one of a number of people, either because they want to protest in relation to a particular thing or create a terrorist spectacular, would actually target the event.

“This is where our experiences of party political conferences in Bournemouth have been particularly useful in how to manage large-scale security operations and deal with the potential of large crowds of people.

“The biggest challenge is trying to ensure the safety of a section of water as British police have never done this before.”

He said the force has been receiving the expertise of the Royal Navy and the force’s Olympic security operation has been subject to constant scrutiny by the Olympic security director in London. To date, £19.7m has been secured in funding from the Home Office Olympic Security budget. Further bids have also been submitted.

He said the games will attract a massive influx of visitors to Weymouth and Portland, although exact numbers are difficult to estimate. More than 50,000 tickets have been sold for the official viewing area over the 10-day period.

“We’re also expecting a large number of visiting boats and the harbourmaster of Portland will be able to issue shipping restrictions on race days.

“We are working hard with leisure boat operators, private boat companies, sailing boats, crab boats and dive boat owners to ensure people are aware of what will be happening on the waters.”

The waters will be managed with a traffic scheme run by the Royal Navy and Dorset Police marine section. Olympic stewards will manage spectators and visitors on the ground.

Roads in the county will be managed by the county council and Highways Authority and a control centre will be set up at county council HQ in Dorch-ester.

Mr Baker has put a number of restrictions on leave for officers and staff, but hopes to relax this when rota systems are drawn up early next year.

Policing the rest of the county will not be affected as he will be able to call in the help of neighbouring forces to provide the additional 400-plus officers needed during the big days in the games.

Mr Baker said: “It is a really fabulous opportunity for us to showcase the best in sport.

“It’s a sporting occasion which needs some security and we are trying to be as low key as we possibly can be while maintaining proper security.”

He added that Assistant Chief Constable Mike Glanville will be in overall charge of Operation Heart to ensure it’s ‘business as usual’ for the rest of Dorset.