Police Presence For Chelsea Match Just in Nick Of Time

Met Police officers will be on duty inside the London Stadium for the first time for West Ham's EFL Cup match against Chelsea on Wednesday, according to a police spokesperson. A temporary 'Airwave' radio communications system has now been installed inside the London Stadium, although Vinci Concessions who run the match day events are yet to confirm details on exactly where officers will be deployed. Fears had been growing that the lack of a suitable system would mean police could not carry out their duties effectively before, during and after what will be the most 'challenging' fixture yet to be held since the move from the old Boleyn Ground.
Way in excess of 50,000 fans are expected for a fixture likely to be assessed in the next few days as a high risk "Category B" or "Category C" game with the Met under increasing pressure to make sure that they have officers stationed within the ground to back up those who would already be deployed outside the Stadium.
Chelsea said they were "disappointed" after they were allocated 5,182 tickets for the game, under competition rules, away teams are entitled to 10 per cent of the stadium's capacity, a 57,000 crowd is expected for the meeting with West Ham hoping to gain revenge for their opening game of the Barclays Premier League loss to their bitter rivals, especially bearing in mind Costa's'skull duggery'.
Chelsea requested their full allocation, 10% of the 57,000 capacity stadium, however Hammers are currently restricted to allocating 5,200 'away' tickets due to infrastructure and ongoing standing issues, up until now the police command centre has been based at Queen Elizabeth Park, with officers only entering the stadium in case of criminal behaviour, a permanent 'Airwave' system is due to be fully installed by February 2017, however a temporary 'Airwave' system has been tested for the past fortnight which relies on a police command vehicle being parked up next to the stadium.
Since the draw was made last month, West Ham along with Chelsea and the Met Police have been in discussions about the security issues surrounding the match, the Met refuse to discuss crowd control tactics ahead of high risk games, but they will be keen to segregate rival fans walking to the stadium from the nearby Stratford Station, although they will also need to place special heed to those fans traveling to and from Hackney Wick, a potentially volatile and lengthy 'running of the gauntlet'.
This match is not being televised, therefore it can be safely assumed that the London Stadium (still no naming rights deal?) will be full to capacity, as will the transport infrastructure and the surrounding facilities. This will be the biggest test of stadium security since the Olympic closing ceremony, but with the added drain on resources of having to deal with potentially confrontational fans along the long spacious routes from the Stadium to the Stratford hub.
It is in everyone's interest for this match to go ahead without incident off the pitch, there will surely be plenty of it on it! The lack of TV coverage might be a blessing, in that those who might have been seeking to have 'made a name' for them selves by having their neanderthal grapplings broadcast to the viewing public, will be less interested in polluting the atmosphere with their presence. - Ed