Two thousand more troops set to be deployed to plug holes in Olympic security

Games security: Armed police at Heathrow Airport

Peter Dominiczak|Joe Murphy @JoeMurphyLondon

18 July 2012

Military chiefs were today preparing to deploy 2,000 more troops if needed to plug gaps in Olympic security.

The soldiers would be deployed if under-fire security company G4S ends up providing even fewer guards than currently planned.

Hundreds of troops from the 20th Armoured Brigade in Germany could be brought in to protect the Games. Others from the 7th Armoured Brigade and the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick may also be called up. G4S would be expected to meet the bill.

The Ministry of Defence said: "Should there be a need for additional military personnel we will do whatever possible to make them available. At present no further requests have been received.

"An ongoing programme of prudent planning continues but no additional military personnel beyond the 17,000 already announced have received warning orders for Olympic tasking."

It was claimed today that G4S watered down its vetting procedures in a desperate attempt to boost recruitment.

The firm is said to have softened "work history" checks — only looking at applicants’ employment history over three years instead of the usual five.

It was allegedly trying to raise the number of applicants being accepted as it realised it would not be able to supply enough staff for the Games.

Boss Nick Buckles yesterday revealed it is trying to deliver about 7,000 staff during the Games — nearly 3,500 fewer than first promised. Mr Buckles, under pressure to quit his £830,000-a-year job, has been attacked for saying he still intends to take a £57 m illion management fee for the contract.

A member of the military who claimed to have worked at the G4S Olympic vetting department said: "Work history was reduced from five years to three around the end of May as G4S realised it could get more applicants this way."

G4S said: "There have been adjustments to the screening operation, approved by the organiser Locog."

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