The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Olympic Intelligence Centre: Lessons Learned from Working with the Olympic Sponsors and the Private Sector

Authors

  • Sue Wilkinson

Keywords:

private intelligence, security intelligence, Olympic intelligence, terrorism, counterterrorism

Abstract

This paper is a reflective discussion that critically describes the role of the Olympic Intelligence Centre (OIC) played in the delivery of a safe and secure London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In particular, it examines how the OIC worked with the Olympic Sponsors and the wider private sector to provide them with the classified intelligence and information they needed to play their role in the safety and security operation effectively. Issues discussed include the cultural, statutory and systemic challenges that had to be overcome; how relationships were built to allay concerns and build trust and confidence; and the process that was put into place to allow the exchange of classified intelligence that supported the Sponsors and private sector in their operation. It details how the OIC worked with Sponsors to allow them in turn to exchange intelligence they held in their systems with the OIC, thus completing the intelligence cycle, enhancing the security operation. The article concludes with an outline of the lessons learned that were deduced through a reflective process and are offered to practitioners for consideration in future intelligence work involving the private sector.

Author Biography

  • Sue Wilkinson

    Sue Wilkinson holds a BA(Hons) degrees and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal. She joined the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in 1980, and held a variety of uniform, detective, policy, and strategy roles across London and at New Scotland Yard. She served in a variety of roles within the Specialist Crime Directorate before leaving for Australia in 2007 to take up a three year contract as the inaugural CEO of the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA). When she returned to the Metropolitan Police Service in September 2010, Ms Wilkinson took on two roles—Head of Profession for Intelligence for the MPS, and Head of the Olympic Intelligence Centre and the National Olympic Intelligence Project for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games. In September 2011 Ms Wilkinson moved over to her Olympics role full-time. She has recently retired from the MPS following the success of the Olympics.

References

Downloads

Published

2013-03-01

Issue

Issue 1, Number 2, 2013

Section

Critical Essays

License

Authors retain copyright in their articles and grant SALUS the right of first publication. The work is simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as appropriate credit is given to the author(s) and the journal, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.

How to Cite

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Olympic Intelligence Centre: Lessons Learned from Working with the Olympic Sponsors and the Private Sector. (2013). Salus Journal, 1(2), 8-20. https://journals.csu.domains/index.php/salusjournal/article/view/issue-01-number-02-wilkinson