Manchester Arena Inquiry: Police force 'better prepared for terror attack'

Police successful Manchester volition beryllium "far amended prepared" for a panic onslaught aft the 2017 arena bombing, a lawman main constable has said.

Terry Woods, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), made the comments astatine a proceeding astir recommendations made pursuing the enquiry into the attack.

He said a operation enactment successful spot by GMP to larn lessons aft the attack, which killed 22 people, would remain.

But helium warned that different forces successful the state should beryllium doing more.

He told the hearing, which was attended by household members of immoderate of the victims, the Manchester Arena Inquiry would person a "legacy" successful the force.

Twenty-two radical died and hundreds much were injured erstwhile Salman Abedi detonated a instrumentality astatine the extremity of an Ariana Grande performance astatine the Manchester Arena connected 22 May 2017.

The nationalist enquiry into the onslaught ended successful March 2022 aft proceeding grounds from 267 witnesses since September 2020.

Mr Woods said: "It volition beryllium an assurance to america and I anticipation the nationalist that if thing happens again we volition beryllium acold amended prepared.

"This onslaught happened connected our patch. It's ne'er not going to beryllium successful the DNA of GMP.

"It's important to america and that's 1 of the reasons wherefore this volition transportation on."

Asked by the enquiry chairman, Sir John Saunders, if constabulary successful different areas of the state should beryllium doing more, Mr Woods said: "As it stands, astatine present, yes.

"I bash deliberation different forces should beryllium doing more."

But helium said determination had been "positive moves" towards much grooming nationally.

Mr Woods said GMP had fulfilled recommendations, including to regularly reappraisal its large incidental program and guarantee it had guidance connected the roles of North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

The nationalist enquiry recovered a determination to nonstop occurrence crews 3 miles distant from the country led to firefighters arriving much than 2 hours later.

Sir John said: "To me, 1 of the astir astonishing things of the enquiry is that radical didn't realise the occurrence work were not there, with each their quality to region people."

The inquiry, sitting for 3 days for grounds astir advancement connected the recommendations, besides heard from representatives of arena relation SMG and British Transport Police.

Counsel to the inquiry, Paul Greaney KC, said: "This week is an accidental to place what is being done to thrust alteration that is needed to debar the repetition of what went truthful incorrect and besides to analyse whether much inactive tin beryllium done."

Sir John said helium had issued the 2nd portion of the 3rd measurement of his report, which dealt with the information services and counter-terror policing, which was not being made public.

The president told the proceeding it was of "critical importance" that the recommendations were monitored and said helium hoped it could beryllium done by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee.

He said: "It's important the nationalist and those who person been intimately progressive successful this inquiry, specified arsenic the bereaved families, person an assurance that recommendations I person made are being carried out."