Council to raise concerns about armed Police in Highland

Members of The Highland Council’s Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee have agreed to write to the Scottish Police Authority and Sir Stephen House, Chief Constable of Police Scotland to express concerns about armed police operations in the Highlands.

At the meeting held in Highland Council’s headquarters yesterday (12 June) in Inverness, Chief Superintendent Julian Innes, Local Police Commander for Police Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Division gave an update on the Highland local police area armed policing operations. Members of the committee were also given the opportunity to meet a local Police Scotland armed response team and to view their armed response vehicle.

Councillor Drew Millar Chairman of the Council’s Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee said: “It is clear among members that we have concerns - as do the public and we have doubts that the current approach is right for the Highlands. Members have expressed their concern about the armed response team carrying weapons throughout their time on duty.  We recognise that it is only the small unit that is armed, and not all officers, but members are not convinced that it is suitable for them to be armed for all incidents they attend.

“As well as writing to the Scottish Police Authority and Sir Stephen House to raise these concerns I will also be writing to Ian Ross, a Highland Member of the Scottish Police Authority Board and former vice-convener of the Northern Joint Police Board who we will be able to engage with at our next meeting in October.”

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