Elite royal protection officers from Scotland Yard are being drafted in to support police at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival amid rising security concerns, it has emerged.
Hundreds of highly trained specialists—usually tasked with guarding members of the Royal Family, senior politicians and VIPs—will be deployed to help uphold security at the two-day event.
Around 7,000 Met Police officers are expected to be on duty as two million people take to the streets of west London on August 24 and 25, according to The Telegraph.
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has vowed to share public order duties more evenly across the force in an effort to ease the burden on overstretched neighbourhood policing teams.
However, the move is said to have caused frustration within the Royal and Specialist Protection (RaSP) command, where many officers typically work in plain clothes and haven’t worn a uniform for years.
In addition to sourcing uniforms, some officers have reportedly been required to complete Body Worn Video (BWV) training.
One source said: “They are highly trained, highly experienced specialists, and so are not happy about being told they have to do basic public order policing.
“They will essentially be working as glorified stewards but they don’t have any choice in the matter. It’s an order from the top but it could hardly be less welcome.
“Notting Hill is the least popular job of the year. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the vast majority of officers hate working at Notting Hill, even those who do regular public order work.”
The source added that working the event was “really stressful” and “a pretty thankless role”.
Officers with formal public order qualifications will be assigned to response units, while those with basic training will be expected to help manage crowds.
Last year’s carnival was overshadowed by a fatal stabbing, when a 32-year-old woman was attacked in front of her young daughter.
The event comes as the Met faces intense strain following a surge in protests, including pro-Palestine demonstrations. Between October 2023 and June 2024, more than 52,000 officer shifts were used to police such rallies.
Scotland Yard has also raised concerns about the risk of overcrowding. In April, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said in a report: “While we acknowledge the crime often gets the headlines, the thing that worries me most is the crowd density and the potential for a mass casualty event.”
Susan Hall, vice chairman of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, echoed those concerns: “There is little wonder the police hate having to work at Notting Hill Carnival. It is a huge drain on the Met’s resources each year and senior officers share my concerns that it is becoming far too dangerous.
“The organisers have failed to ensure there is sufficient stewarding and it is becoming almost impossible to manage the crowds. Do we have to wait until there is a mass casualty tragedy before the organisers listen to our concerns?
“Now we hear they are even having to draft in officers from royal protection to plug the gaps. It is surely time to end this madness and let the police get back to policing rather than working as glorified security guards at an unnecessary event.”
