Royston Martis predicts that officers will show their professionalism despite the uncertainty facing them

Let the Games begin.

From this week, the eyes of an estimated four billion people across the Globe will be firmly on the London 2012 Olympics.

The Games are – and have been in the past – a target for terrorists.

The success story of this Olympics will largely hang on the policing and security operation. As the recent G4S security shambles has proved, that is mainly – and thankfully – in the hands of police officers.

With thousands of press from across the world in attendance, individual officers of all ranks will be in the spotlight. The policing operation to protect the Games will be heavily scrutinised.

Some members of the media – believe it or not – will even be trying to catch some cops out.

And it won’t just be the press, with anyone and everyone having camera phones these days.

Will the police be too hard or heavy handed as they were accused after the G20 riots in London in 2009?

Will the police be too soft as they were accused after the student protests in London in 2010?

Damned if they do. Damned if they don’t, of course.

But right minded people know the country’s cops will do their best to serve and protect people over the next few weeks.

As they do domestically every day – Olympics or no Olympics.

I cannot help but cast my mind back to one sunny week in July 2005. On the Wednesday there was the euphoria of London winning the 2012 Olympics.

This was tragically followed by the 7/7 Bombings on the Thursday.

On July 7, 2005, those who live in the nation’s capital will never forget how police officers, along with other members of the emergency services, showed themselves to be true heroes. Rushing to the aid of injured people on London’s transport system without a thought of what they might face.

It was British policing – which we often hear is the envy of the world – at its finest.

We all hope beyond hope that we never have to see those events again.

We want to see the smiling British Bobby. And for the next few weeks I think we will.

Despite changes to pay and conditions and the government’s desire to carve up the Police Service, professional police officers will be nothing but kind and helpful.

But it is going to be hard. Just this week we heard the Winsor II pay and conditions recommendations – including the government’s desire for police officer redundancy – will now go to lengthy arbitration. To use Olympics language, this outcome will now be a marathon rather than a sprint.

So yes, let the Games begin.

I visited the Olympic Stadium and its surroundings in East London this week. There was actually something very reassuring about seeing scores of police officers and soldiers wandering around.

I think we actually have something to thank G4S for.

We do not want security and police officers to be the story.

Let’s hope it’s the sport – and the Great British Gold medals – we remember the 2012 London Olympics for.

And nothing else.