The razor wire fence that surrounds Sellafield is the first indication
that this is not your average chemical works.
Each day thousands of incoming workers have to pass slowly through
police checkpoints to reach their workplace.
Because of their potential, nuclear materials create the need for
extra police and security provisions.
In Britain the UK Atomic Energy Authority constabulary number
just over 500. They recruit and operate independently of the civil
police.
Under the AEA (Special Constables) Act of 1976 they were given far
greater powers.
They can now carry arms at all times; have the power to enter any
house or premises at will; they can arrest anyone on suspicion
anywhere in the UK.
This police force is accountable to the Atomic Energy Authority,
who in turn are responsible to the Secretary of State of the
relevant government department.
Officers do take the similar Oath of Allegiance to the Crown
as the civil police.
The AEA police carry weapons to patrol certain areas inside the
razor wired perimeter of Sellafield. They have their own firing
range inside the Drigg nuclear dump site and their own team of
trained dog handlers. Armed officers accompany sensitive secret
movements of material to and from Sellafield. These movements,
in unmarked vehicles, include plutonium from Sellafield, tritium
from BNFL Chapelcross near Carlisle, movements of MOX (plutonium
and uranium) fuel to Carlisle Airport and to Barrow docks. More details on the UKAEA Constabulary
via these sources:July=1991
JOURNAL ARTICLE , User Ref = 002095
G Esler P Woolwich
Police Rev, 9 Dec 1983 pp2304-
Held by the Research Library at the London Research Centre, Parliament
House, 81 Black Prince Road, London SE1 7SZ, UK Tel: 071-627-9666 Fax:
071-627-9674.
Copies of these articles are available by post - please contact the
address/phone above for cost and a copyright form.
Anti-nuclear groups such as CND often play a cat and mouse game with
these secure convoys and try to publish details of such movements.
After an embarassing breach of security when Greenpeace campaigners
clambered onto the roof of the plutonium store the perimeter fence
was further enhanced with fresh razor wire.
Inside Sellafield even tighter security exists to guard the
plutonium storage vaults. All employees at Sellafield have to sign
and agree to the terms
of the Official Secrets Act.
Movements of plutonium MOX fuel from Sellalfield and France to
Japan have in 1999 led to light cannon being fitted to the bows
of nuclear transport ships such as the Pacific Teal.
Typical of the cost of extra security for MOX and other nuclear movements
was Operation Neptune to guard the MOX shipments in July 1999.
An armed Royal Naval frigate was drafted in, UKAEA police, with sub machine guns available
were joined by officers from Cumbria, Humberside, Lothian and Borders police forces
to merely move four tonnes of MOX fuel.
Such nuclear shipments have become so sensitive they have been
banned from the Panama Canal and a US Senate Foreign Relations
Committee statement about a shipment in the 1980s gives an idea of
the concerns; The cargo vessel will be continuously shadowed by
warships and constantly transmit an update on its position via
satellite.’’ The best book giving details of Britain's secret nuclear relationship
with the USA is 'The Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier' by Duncan Campbell, published by Michael Joseph, ISBN 07181 2350 6.
