Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

Review of firearms officer deployments announced as public protection put first

1st October 2014

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has approved the recommendation of the Armed Policing Monitoring Group that the national standing firearms authority should continue. In addition, having listened to concerns expressed by politicians and some members of the public and having assessed the current operational challenges faced by Police Scotland, the Chief Constable has directed that firearms officers attached to Armed Response Vehicles will now only be deployed to firearms incidents or where there is a threat to life.

Police Scotland's Armed Policing Monitoring Group met on September 16 and reviewed updated intelligence and information including evidence on legally held firearms in Scotland, classified information on serious organised crime groups which operate across the country and the number of firearms deployments between April and August.

The Chief Constable's decision took into consideration the concerns voiced by politicians and some members of the public and in response a working group has been established to review the types of carriage for both sidearms and Tasers and the deployment of Armed Response Vehicle Officers when not deployed to firearm incidents. This group will submit a preliminary report to the next meeting of the APMG in January 2015.

Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, Crime and Operational Support, said:

"Protecting the public and ensuring that all communities have the same access to specialist policing support, no matter where or when the need it is at the heart of this decision. We have balanced our overriding duty to keep people safe with consideration of the views expressed about the perception of armed officers supporting local policing activities.

"Having a small number of armed police officers available means we can retain our operational flexibility and ensure that more than 98% of our officers remain unarmed but we remain best placed to support the public when the need arises. The public would expect nothing less.

"The threat of firearms and other serious criminality does not discriminate between the city or the town and the rural community or indeed the Highlands and the Borders. Just last week our armed officers were deployed to a number of high-profile incidents that occurred in 10 out of our 14 Local Policing Divisions including those believed to be the most remote and the safest across Scotland.

"The Chief Constable recognised the concerns expressed about the deployment of armed officers. As an organisation we acknowledge the local feeling from politicians and some members of the public, as evidenced by the feedback from several local authorities. We have listened to those concerns and this has resulted in the Chief Constable's announcement today.

"We welcome the ongoing reviews by HMICS and the Scottish Police Authority and we will consider carefully the findings of these reviews in the context of taking forward our recommendations.

"The decision to continue with a small number of armed officers dedicated to specialist firearms duties is entirely proportionate and necessary and ensures we discharge our duty to keep people safe."

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, ACPO lead Armed Policing, said:"Whilst the establishment of a standing firearms authority is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, as the Armed Policing lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers I am invited to all meetings of the Police Scotland Armed Policing Monitoring Group and attended the meeting on 16 September 2014.

"I was able to confirm to the group that similar standing authorities, based upon informed Strategic Threat and Risk Assessments, are in place within almost every Police Force in England and Wales. The information provided to this meeting was appropriate and relevant to allow an informed decision to be made and based on my understanding of the prevailing threat and risk I consider the arrangements instigated within Police Scotland to be both proportionate and necessary."

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Visiting relatives and friends this Christmas? Make sure your home is safe AFTER DARKThumbnail for article : Visiting relatives and friends this Christmas? Make sure your home is safe AFTER DARK
Consider carefully what you are putting on social media, especially if you are staying away to visit friends and relatives this Christmas.  Be wary of posting photographs of Christmas parties that contain images of high value jewellery.  
POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT - CAITHNESS AREAThumbnail for article : POLICE OFFICER RECRUITMENT - CAITHNESS AREA
Would you like to join the Police? Would you like to live and work in the Caithness area? Police Scotland is actively recruiting good quality and eligible candidates specifically for the Caithness area.   We are taking applications now for Police Constable / Special Constable Entry for future intakes during 2023/2024.  
£74m Police Budget Cut Will Make Communities Less Safe
UNISON, the union for police staff, says Scotland's police budget cut will see even more crime going unreported and crimes not being fully investigated.   The union says around 230 police staff could be cut, including fingerprint examiners, forensic examiners, 999 call handlers, custody staff, high-speed driving instructors, cybercrime experts, payroll, HR and IT staff.  
New Police Commander For Highland And Islands Division Takes OathThumbnail for article : New Police Commander For Highland And Islands Division Takes Oath
The new Highland and Islands divisional commander will take up post having been sworn in as a Police Scotland officer.   Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone welcomed and thanked Chief Superintendent Rob Shepherd during a ceremony at Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan, on Monday, 16 January 2023, overseen by Justice of the Peace Gillian Thomson.  
Police Complaints, Investigations And Misconduct To Continue After Resignations
Gross misconduct proceedings against police officers should be allowed to continue after they resign from the force to promote transparency and maintain public confidence, according to a public consultation.   The move, which would see proceedings continue even if an officer leaves during the course of an investigation into their conduct, was among the recommendations of Dame Elish Angiolini's independent review into how police complaints and allegations of misconduct should be handled.  
Criminal Proceedings In Scotland 2020-21
The total number of people proceeded against in Scottish courts fell by 46% to 46,497 in the year to 2020-21, according to National Statistics published by Scotland's Chief Statistician today.  The number of people convicted fell at a similar rate, down 44% to 42,532.  
15 Further Call Handling Jobs For Police Centre In Inverness
Cllr Matthew Reiss, Highland Council's Strategic Lead for Police and Fire has welcomed Police Scotland's announcement that it has created fifteen new posts to further enhance the development of call handling services, based in Inverness.   He said: "We were delighted in October last year to welcome 25 new jobs in Inverness with the creation of a specialist call handling service team and these fifteen additional new posts based in the Highlands are great news.  
Changes to criminal court businessThumbnail for article : Changes to criminal court business
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has responded to the Lord President's decision to reduce the number of criminal trials as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).   The Justice Secretary said:"I welcome the Lord President's decisive action, which balances the interests of justice with the very serious public health challenges presented by the new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19).  
Agreement urgently needed on police authority's functionsThumbnail for article : Agreement urgently needed on police authority's functions
Greater clarity is needed around the core functions and finances of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) so that it can build a modern and financially stable police service.   A report on 17 December 2019 from the Auditor General highlights some progress over the last year amid a raft of new appointments to Police Scotland, including a new chief constable and three deputies, and seven new members to the SPA Board.  
New Drug Driving Laws To Be Introduced
Motorists face roadside drugs test.   Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has welcomed Police Scotland's preparations for the introduction of new drug driving laws on 21 October.