Published: Wednesday, 2nd April, 2008 12:00
Dedicated vehicle deployed to tackle armed criminals
By Nicola Findlay
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Chief Constable Andrew Cameron supports the deployment of an armed response vehicle.
AN ARMED Response Vehicle will be deployed in Clackmannanshire in a bid to tackle an increasing number of incidents involving potentially lethal weapons.
At the moment Central Scotland Police do not have a dedicated Armed Response Vehicle and rely on on-duty officers trained as Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO) and the callout of off-duty AFOs.
The Armed Response Vehicle is due to be deployed next month in a bid to enhance both public and officer safety and provide the force with the capability to respond to spontaneous incidents requiring the deployment of armed resources.
Chief Constable Andrew Cameron told a meeting of the Joint Police Board on Friday that both the safety of the public and his officers were paramount.
He added that they were increasingly being called out to situations where weapons such as firearms and swords were being used.
Convener of the Joint Police Board, Councillor George Matchett, agreed the deployment of an ARV was necessary.
He said, “The welfare and well-being of the community and police officers is our priority. It is the unfortunate situation we are in now. Lethal weapons and firearms seem to be appearing regularly in the criminal world in the UK as a whole, never mind Scotland.
“I regret we have to move in this direction but it is what is being presented to this force and police forces throughout the UK.”
The ARV will be available 24 hours a day and will be delivered through the existing Road Policing Unit, with 20 of its 40 officers being trained as AFOs.
As well as conventional firearms, the dedicated response vehicle will hold equipment such as impact rounds and Tasers.
All weapons will be securely kept in purpose built containers within the vehicle, which will not look any different from other patrol cars.
Officers will not be able to carry weapons unless they are deployed at a firearms incident and are authorised by a Tactical Firearms Commander.
Other larger forces already have dedicated ARVs and Chief Constable Andrew Cameron is confident that the system has been tested rigorously.
Central Scotland Police have has also entered into an agreement with Fife and Tayside Police which will see the forces joining together to provide addition armed cover if necessary.
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