London police sends team to Dubai for SWAT competition as budget talks continue

As the city faces tough choices in ongoing budget discussions, including a massive increase to the police budget, at least five London Police SWAT team members are at a five-day competition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week, a trip the board that oversees the service was not aware of, CBC News has learned. 

London's Emergency Response Unit (ERU) is one of 73 police forces competing in the 2024 UAE SWAT Challenge, which wraps up today. Hosted by the Dubai Police, the annual five-day competition pits SWAT teams from police forces around the world against each other in a series of skill-based competitions. 

This year's teams include police from Thailand, Ecuador, China, the United States and Russia. Each of the five days has a different event where teams compete in mock tactical situations including assaults, rescues and obstacle courses.

The decision to send local officers to Dubai appears to have caught politicians and the London Police Services Board off guard. The seven-member board provides civilian oversight over police operations and includes Mayor Josh Morgan and two city councillors: Steve Lehman and Susan Stevenson. 

Morgan said he didn't know anything about the Dubai event. Lehman and Stevenson did not respond to emails asking for comment.

After learning about the trip from CBC News, the board asked police administrators for a report outlining "the specific financial and procedural considerations governing not only the approval of this specific training competition, but also the approval process governing similar training opportunities for our service," chair Ali Chahbar said in an email to CBC News Tuesday night. 

'Training benefit,' chief says

Later, Chief Thai Truong responded to questions first sent early Monday morning, saying London Police is paying $15,700 for the Dubai trip.

"Initially, the cost of this training was estimated at approximately $115,000, which would have been prohibitive for us to participate. However, after discussions with Dubai Police and recognizing the mutual training benefits for both our services, the cost was reduced to $15,700," Truong wrote. 

"I understand and support the Board's desire for transparency in everything we do. I have discussed this matter with the Board Chair and acknowledged the concerns raised by the Board. I am prepared to engage fully in the Board's review as we continue to ensure our members receive the best possible training to perform their duties effectively and safely."

The London Police Association, the force's union, contributed $5,000 to the trip, although it's not clear if this amount was included in, or in addition to, the force's contribution. 

London's trip to take part in the SWAT competition happens as city council faces fraught budget discussions. Morgan has proposed a budget that includes $672 million for the police above their base budget over the next four years. The police budget includes funding for 97 new officers along with equipment upgrades such as new Tasers, drones, and body-worn cameras. 

London is the only Canadian police force entered in this year's UAE Swat Challenge. London's listing on the event website doesn't say  "London Police Service" — its official name. Instead it lists "London ERU Canada" with the ERU team's grey shield logo. 

The event includes $260,000 in total prize money, with the top team taking home $80,000. There are also daily challenge prizes with the first-place team from each day receiving $5,000, followed by $3,000 and $2,000 for second- and third-place teams. It's unclear whether the prize money goes to the team members, or to their police forces. 

Daily standings and livestreams are posted on the event's website. Questions sent to the event's media team about the prizes and how much teams paid to compete were not answered on Tuesday. 

Truong said he is "committed to ensuring our members have access to world-class training opportunities and I supported the opportunity for our members to train, compete, and learn from over 70 different ERU teams from around the world in Dubai, who are considered among the best internationally." 

Event has raised questions

Other police forces have stirred controversy by taking part in the UAE SWAT Challenge.

In 2019, the participation of teams from three Florida sheriffs' offices was covered by Florida Times Union newspaper.  

The three Florida country sheriff forces — Flagler, Alachua, and Osceola — participated that year, along with the New York Police Department. Only the Alachua County Sheriff's Office answered the newspaper's questions about who covered  the costs, saying the Dubai Police picked up the tab including travel, lodging, meals and "things needed for the competition."

"The only expense we had was we paid the daily wages of the deputies involved and for travel insurance," Public Information Officer Art Forgey told the Times Union. 

UAE human rights record in question

In addition to asking who paid the teams' tab, the newspaper raised questions about U.S. police forces travelling around the world to take part in an event hosted by a country Amnesty International has said has a 'troubling' human rights record.

On Jan. 16, Gulf News.com posted an interview with London Police Supt. Scott Guilford about the SWAT Challenge. In the story, which reads like a news release, Guilford praised the competition as a chance to allow London's tactical officers to hone their skills. 

"The team actively participates in local shooting competitions, consistently achieving exceptional results," he's quoted as saying. "We take great pride in their consistently top-notch performances."

According to final results posted on the event's website, London placed 62nd of the 73 teams participating.