THE number of officers being sent to help police the Olympics will not have an impact on the day-to-day resources in the town during the Games, Swindon’s top officer has said.

Wiltshire Police’s exact commitment to the summer sporting event has yet to be confirmed, but it is thought highly-trained officers from the Armed Response Group as well as hostage negotiators could be sent to assist with security.

But Superintendent Gavin Williams said officer numbers to police the town’s streets will not be affected, while there was no blanket ban of officers taking leave over the period.

He said: “We will be supplying officers in support for the Olympics later this year but I am content we have got sufficient resources in force that it will not impact policing.

“We will only have a small number of people going up and there is no banket ban on leave. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.”

Last month Devon and Cornwall Police admitted services may be impacted by their deployment of nearly 200 officers to help police events in Dorset and London.

Wiltshire officers will also take responsibility for policing the Olympic Torch relay, which is expected to draw thousands to line the streets as it passes through Wiltshire twice on its route to the capital.

But a Wiltshire Police spokesman said the security of the torch itself will be the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police.

Wiltshire Police’s Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “Planning for the policing of these events has been underway for some time.”