Increased police patrols planned across Bedfordshire during World Cup
Police operation focuses on visibility and reassurance during World Cup period
There will be increased police patrols around pubs and town centres across Bedfordshire over the next five weeks as the World Cup gets underway tomorrow.
The tournament brings together 48 teams competing across multiple host cities, with matches expected to draw large crowds to public screenings and hospitality venues across the UK.
Bedfordshire Police says the operation has been in planning for several months and will focus on key fixtures when crowds are expected to gather.
Chief Superintendent Ian Taylor said the priority is visible policing and community reassurance.
He said: “It's really about delivering visible policing, engaging with the community, and reassuring.
“History tells us that as tournaments progress, the number of people that attend our town centres generally increases. The vast majority of those are here just to support England, or the nationality they're supporting.
“However, we do see minor incidents of disorder and violence historically.”
The force says months of planning have gone into the operation to ensure sufficient resources are available when needed.
Chief Supt Taylor said officers are experienced in managing major international football tournaments, describing the approach as routine policing for a large-scale event.
“We're extremely experienced and well-versed with managing large scale international football tournaments. So, this is kind of business as usual.
He added that the additional resources will not affect wider policing responsibilities.
“Yes, there will be increased resources at particular points, but they're planned well in advance. It's not going to affect our normal service delivery. We will still maintain our core service delivery.
“These are just additional resources brought in as and when we need them.”