Paris seeks extra cops for Olympics

FRANCE says it has asked 46 countries if they would be willing to supply more than 2,000 police officers to help secure the Paris Olympics this summer.

The move comes as organisers finalise security planning for the French capital’s first Games in a century while on heightened alert against potential attacks.

The Interior Ministry said yesterday that the request for foreign security assistance was made in January, seeking nearly 2,185 reinforcements.

The officers are sought to help with Games security and “the spectator experience” and to “strengthen international co-operation”, the ministry said.

“This is a classic approach of host countries for the organisation of major international events,” the ministry added.

It noted that France sent 200 of its gendarmes to football’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and also welcomed 160 officers from other European security forces for the Rugby World Cup that France hosted last year.

Separately, the French Defence Ministry has also asked foreign nations for “small numbers” of military personnel who could help with “very specific” tasks at the Games, including sniffer dog teams.

Poland’s defence minister said his country will be sending soldiers to the Paris Games.

The Polish armed forces delegation will include dog handlers and “its main goal will be to undertake activities related to the detection of explosives and counteracting terrorist phenomena”.

Security is the biggest challenge for organisers in a city that has been hit by deadly attacks by Islamic extremists and which is expecting 15 million visitors for the July 26-August 11 Games and Paralympics.

Security concerns are especially high for the opening ceremony, which will involve boats on the Seine and crowds watching from the embankments.