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Rural police could be 'sitting ducks' in event of terrorist attack

Rural police officers in England fear they lack capability and would be left ‘sitting ducks’ in the event of an armed terrorist attack, according to a Police Federation chair. John Apter, chair of Hampshire Police Federation, has warned that a national shortage of armed officers could leave isolated areas vulnerable. Speaking to the BBC, Apter said that in some rural communities the nearest armed officers are up to 70 miles away, which could leave potential targets such as energy plants at risk. Apter said: "Being realistic, if a firearms unit was coming from the middle of the county you are still talking about 30 miles away - you are not talking about a few minutes. There would be an understandable delay. "If a firearms unit is the other side of the county they could be 70 miles away so you are talking a significant distance. So the only officers that you have available are unarmed and vulnerable officers and they are the officers that are saying to me that in a terrorist situation they would be sitting ducks."

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