MoD police ‘took naps’ at A-bomb site: Investigation launched into alleged security failings at nuclear weapons factory

• MoD calls in IPCC over accusations of failures at AWE site at Burghfield
• As many as 50 officers are involved in the inquiry, and seven have resigned
• Burghfield factory makes the warheads for Trident ballistic missiles

By DAMIEN GAYLE

Burghfield Nuclear weapons factory: As many as 50 Ministry of Defence Police officers are involved in an inquiry into alleged security failures at a branch of the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield, Berkshire (pictured)

The MoD has reported the allegations to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It added that seven officers have resigned without facing disciplinary charges.

A source told the Daily Mirror: ‘At least some of the police were sleeping on the job when they missed the patrols. This is highly embarrassing at such a key facility.’

Protests are regularly held - and arrests made - at the massive high-security complex near Reading, one of two sites where the ballistic missile warheads have been built, maintained and decommissioned since 1992.

Peter Burt, of atomic weapons campaign group the Nuclear Information Service, called the accusations against the armed policemen supposed to be guarding the sensitive site complex ‘astonishing’.

‘The government never misses an opportunity to tell us how sites like this are at constant risk from terrorists,’ he told the paper.

‘It’s clear there have been problems with security and supervision at a high level.’

Armed and dangerous: The MoD called in the Independent Police Complaints Commission after officers were accused of failing to complete patrols and sleeping on the job at the highly sensitive site near Reading

The MoD denied claims that staff were being investigated for sleeping on the job.

The spokesman said that disciplinary action was immediately initiated due to the seriousness of nuclear security and where appropriate, officers have been removed from the site to other duties pending the conclusion of the misconduct investigation.

The MoD spokesman added: ‘We can confirm a number of officers are under investigation for failing to complete their full patrols at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

‘The investigation is ongoing and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has been notified. It would be inappropriate to comment further while the case is ongoing, however we can be clear that at no point was the security of the site or its nuclear assets compromised.’

The spokesman said security at AWE sites is constantly reviewed and Ministry of Defence Police will work to ensure that any improvements needed as a result of the investigation are implemented.

The allegations only relate to a small proportion of the patrolling requirement at the site, the spokesman added.

Distinct from the Royal Military Police, which is drawn from the Army, the MoD police is a 2,700-strong civilian force which guards military and ‘Critical National Infrastructure’ sites across the country.

Its officers have the same powers as normal police, but all MoD police are trained to use guns and 90 per cent are armed at any given time - usually with Heckler & Koch submachine guns.

Source: The Daily Mail