Nuclear security

The officers who protect Britain's nuclear plants


A car has just skidded to a halt. The driver, leaping onto the asphalt, is soon heading for a nearby building.

“Drop it!” roars a police officer as the man, wearing a camouflage-patterned jacket, smashes one of the car’s windows with a crowbar – at least, he pretends to. This runaway culprit is not a real threat but rather an instructor playing a role.

I’m standing in a disused army barracks in Surrey, UK among a dozen police officers. They are learning how to guard and protect the UK’s 14 high-security nuclear power stations. It’s a front-row seat to drills designed to hone a highly-trained group of law enforcers tasked with guarding against nuclear crime and terrorism.