Following a major incident in the
Square Mile the police may consider it necessary to establish a
cordon around the area affected. This is to:
- Protect the public from what may be a
dangerous area
- To facilitate any rescue
operation
- To preserve a possible crime scene and
to facilitate the restoration of normality
Anyone within the cordoned area will
initially be required to leave and access through the cordons will
be strictly controlled.
As access to premises for security and
business continuity purposes would be a priority for all
organisations affected, the City Police and the City of London are
committed to reducing the size of any cordons as quickly as
possible.
While the cordons are in force the City
Police, in conjunction with the City of London, may determine that
escorted visitors can be allowed access to a specific area within
the cordon. If this is the case depending on the nature
of the incident a
Business Information Centre based at the Guildhall may be
established to issue Cordon entry passes (CEP). Where the
Guildhall is not available an alternative venue will be used and
details posted on the City of London's website.
In order to facilitate the issue of
passes, organisations can pre-register their nominated staff on the
Contingency Planning unit’s cordon access database.
(For more details on the database and how to register please
click here.)
This simplifies the process of obtaining
a CEP at the Business Information Centre should an incident
occur. However, registration on the database is not mandatory
and passes will be issued on the day to individuals who are not
registered.
All those arriving at the Guildhall who
have pre-registered on the database and are therefore in possession
of a Red Incident Registration Database Card will be allowed direct
access to the Great Hall where they can utilise the facilities
available (public phones, notice boards, internet access,
televisions and refreshments) and await release of cordoned
area. Once an area of the cordon has been released CEP
will be issued.
All those individuals arriving at the
Guildhall to obtain a CEP who are not on the
cordon access database and therefore not in possession of a Red
Incident Database Registration Card, must first
obtain a Blue Incident Registration
Card. In order to do this applicants must provide some
identification (for forms of identification click here). Only
once individuals are provided with a Blue Incident Registration
Card will they then be allowed into the Great Hall and onto the
process of obtaining a CEP.
To obtain a CEP applicants must hold one
form of identification
(
for forms of identification click here) as well as their
Incident Database Registration Card.
Those in possession of a CEP obtained at
the Business Information Centre can gain access through the cordon
at a nominated entry point. Entry through the cordon will only be
allowed for those wearing appropriate safety clothing.