SCOTLAND’S senior police officers are warning about the prospect of mass protests, public disorder and major disruption on roads and ports as the country faces a No-Deal Brexit as well as the ongoing pandemic.
Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, president of the Association of Police Superintendents, has written to MSPs raising concerns over officers ability to deal with emergencies and day to day matters on top of the demands from the UK’s departure from the EU and the coronavirus crisis.
He has outlined the situation ahead of a Holyrood committee hearing tomorrow where Deputy Chief Constable William Kerr will give evidence.
In a written submission to MSPs, Carle stated: “The Association has concerns as to the effect of that EU Exit will have on the capabilities and resilience of the service.
“EU Exit is only one of myriad, major challenges facing policing in Scotland now, and certainly continuing into and throughout 2021. Any major diversion of officers from ‘business-as-usual’ services to police the consequences of EU Exit such as mass public protests, disorder and disruption to critical infrastructure such as seaports, arterial routes and to domestic goods distribution centres must be a concern for the effect on community-based and emergency response policing.”
READ MORE: Michel Barnier says UK and EU have 'common responsibility' to strike deal
Carle added that as the UK’s second-largest police force, it would be likely that police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland would make requests to Police Scotland for assistance, especially in terms of supplying additional specialist public order officers.
He added: “Such requests for mutual aid are made on a reciprocal basis just as the Police Service of Scotland has requested such support from UK policing for COP26.”
The UK and EU are continuing to negotiate future policing and security arrangements as part of a wider deal over their new relationship after Britain leaves the single European market at the end of this year.
However, no agreement has yet been reached and Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this month advised businesses to prepare for a No-Deal.
Currently Britain has access to a range of EU shared data systems and protocols which help UK police services fight crime and catch offenders who have fled or who live in one of the EU27 states.
They include the European Arrest Warrant and the European Criminal Records System. However, in the event of a No-Deal the UK will not be allowed access to these programmes raising fears that combating cross-border international and organised crime will be harder.
In its submission to MSPs on Holyrood’s justice sub-committee on policing, Police Scotland underlined the disadvantage which will be faced by the force from the loss of access to these EU services.
It said having to pull out of one particular IT system – the Schengen Information System Second Generation (SIS II) – would have the most negative impact.
READ MORE: When the rule of law is abandoned we must say ‘not in our name’
The system enables members to share and receive police alerts for people wanted for arrest for extradition; missing adults and children who need to be placed under police protection or in a place of safety; witnesses and court absconders and criminals requiring covert surveillance.
Police Scotland told MSPs the loss of access to SIS II posed “the biggest risk to Scottish communities”.
In its submission it also highlighted travel, freight and border preparations which were underway relating to Brexit.
“Whilst Border Control is the remit of UK Border Force (UKBF), Police Scotland’s role is to support UKBF, focussing on criminality and counter terrorism,” it said.
“Whilst not a border, Cairnryan/Stranraer is acknowledged as a key port for the movement of both freight and passengers between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
“With no clear indication of the potential future border, or otherwise, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Police Scotland are cognisant of the local impact of any potential outcome.
“Police Scotland is supporting preparations being conducted by the Dumfries and Galloway Local Resilience Partnership, in conjunction with Transport Scotland.”
It added Police Scotland was working with forces in the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland around the Northern Ireland Protocol, the EU/UK plan intended to keep an open border on the island which helped bring an end to the Troubles and preserve the peace process.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel