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Glasgow Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Trump visit will ‘undoubtedly stretch' police resources, superintendents warn
Chief Superintendent Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (Asps), said the visit of the US President would require a 'significant operation across the country over many days' from Police Scotland. His comments come in the wake of similar concerns from the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) – the body which represents rank and file officers. A major police operation will be put in place this weekend when the US President makes a private visit to Scotland (Jane Barlow/PA) However Scottish First Minister John Swinney has insisted policing will not be put in a 'detrimental position' as a result of the visit. Mr Trump is due to arrive in Scotland on Friday for a five-day private visit to his his golf resorts in both Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire. During his time in Scotland the President will meet both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Swinney. However, police officers are raising concerns about the impact of the trip, with Mr Hay stating: 'The private visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland at the end of July will require the Police Service of Scotland to plan for and deliver a significant operation across the country over many days. 'This will undoubtedly stretch all our resources from local policing divisions to specialist and support functions such as contact, command and control.' Chief Superintendent Rob Hays said a 'significant' policing operation would be required for the period of the visit (Association of Scottish Police Superintendents/PA) Police superintendents and chief superintendents will have 'key leadership roles' for the visit, he added, saying they would be taking responsibility for areas such as planning and resourcing, intelligence gathering, command and control communications, armed operations, public order, and other specialist functions. Mr Hay urged the public to be aware of the 'significant demands that will be placed on policing services during this period' – adding these result from not only the Presidential visit but the 'many popular events that Scotland hosts in the summer months, which bring thousands of tourists to our country and rely upon partnerships with policing to support their safe delivery'. His comments came as SPF general secretary David Kennedy warned the police response to the visit could impact on the service it provides to the public in Scotland. A major policing operation is being put in place both the visit and any protests that may spring up as a result of it, with Police Scotland seeking officers from other areas of the UK to bolster its numbers. Asked about the visit, Mr Kennedy told BBC Radio Scotland: 'Anyone who says it won't affect it (policing in Scotland), I can't believe that's the case. 'It will affect it. 'You may be waiting in the past for so many hours for a police officer to arrive, that could double now, you may be waiting for more time for them to arrive. 'Obviously, emergency calls will take priority, but it will affect communities in Scotland. 'We've been asking long and weary to have more police officers in our communities in Scotland and all this does is take them away from that at this time.' Asked if the quality of policing will be impacted by the visit, Mr Kennedy added: 'It will be seriously affected, it has to be. 'There's not enough police officers for it not to be affected.' Concerns have also been raised about the cost of the policing operation, with officers likely to cancel rest days to ensure adequate staffing. David Kennedy is the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (Andrew Milligan/PA) But speaking to the PA news agency on Tuesday, Mr Swinney said talks are ongoing between Police Scotland and the Scottish and UK governments on funding, asserting that policing in Scotland will not be put in a 'detrimental position' as a result. Mr Kennedy also reiterated calls from Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond for those seeking to protest to do so peacefully. Ms Bond has already said a 'policing plan will be in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption'. She added: 'The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other UK police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements. 'Officers make sacrifices every day to keep people safe, and their dedication and professionalism is the reason we manage to deliver significant operations.' Mr Swinney meanwhile told the PA news agency it was important that Mr Trump's visit is 'handled with care'. While the First Minister accepted the need for 'security around the President' has also said there 'has to be the legitimate right for individuals in our country to make their voices heard, to protest'. Mr Swinney stated: 'We are a democratic society and people must be able to protest within the law and the policing operation will be designed to ensure that is the case.' With the President's visit expected to include the opening of a second golf course at the Menie resort in Aberdeenshire, Mr Swinney said: 'I obviously spend a lot of my time as First Minister encouraging investment in our country, so I welcome investment in the facilities that are being taken forward.'
Western Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Trump visit will ‘undoubtedly stretch' police resources, superintendents warn
Chief Superintendent Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (Asps), said the visit of the US President would require a 'significant operation across the country over many days' from Police Scotland. His comments come in the wake of similar concerns from the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) – the body which represents rank and file officers. A major police operation will be put in place this weekend when the US President makes a private visit to Scotland (Jane Barlow/PA) However Scottish First Minister John Swinney has insisted policing will not be put in a 'detrimental position' as a result of the visit. Mr Trump is due to arrive in Scotland on Friday for a five-day private visit to his his golf resorts in both Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire. During his time in Scotland the President will meet both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Swinney. However, police officers are raising concerns about the impact of the trip, with Mr Hay stating: 'The private visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland at the end of July will require the Police Service of Scotland to plan for and deliver a significant operation across the country over many days. 'This will undoubtedly stretch all our resources from local policing divisions to specialist and support functions such as contact, command and control.' Chief Superintendent Rob Hays said a 'significant' policing operation would be required for the period of the visit (Association of Scottish Police Superintendents/PA) Police superintendents and chief superintendents will have 'key leadership roles' for the visit, he added, saying they would be taking responsibility for areas such as planning and resourcing, intelligence gathering, command and control communications, armed operations, public order, and other specialist functions. Mr Hay urged the public to be aware of the 'significant demands that will be placed on policing services during this period' – adding these result from not only the Presidential visit but the 'many popular events that Scotland hosts in the summer months, which bring thousands of tourists to our country and rely upon partnerships with policing to support their safe delivery'. His comments came as SPF general secretary David Kennedy warned the police response to the visit could impact on the service it provides to the public in Scotland. A major policing operation is being put in place both the visit and any protests that may spring up as a result of it, with Police Scotland seeking officers from other areas of the UK to bolster its numbers. Asked about the visit, Mr Kennedy told BBC Radio Scotland: 'Anyone who says it won't affect it (policing in Scotland), I can't believe that's the case. 'It will affect it. 'You may be waiting in the past for so many hours for a police officer to arrive, that could double now, you may be waiting for more time for them to arrive. 'Obviously, emergency calls will take priority, but it will affect communities in Scotland. 'We've been asking long and weary to have more police officers in our communities in Scotland and all this does is take them away from that at this time.' Asked if the quality of policing will be impacted by the visit, Mr Kennedy added: 'It will be seriously affected, it has to be. 'There's not enough police officers for it not to be affected.' Concerns have also been raised about the cost of the policing operation, with officers likely to cancel rest days to ensure adequate staffing. David Kennedy is the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (Andrew Milligan/PA) But speaking to the PA news agency on Tuesday, Mr Swinney said talks are ongoing between Police Scotland and the Scottish and UK governments on funding, asserting that policing in Scotland will not be put in a 'detrimental position' as a result. Mr Kennedy also reiterated calls from Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond for those seeking to protest to do so peacefully. Ms Bond has already said a 'policing plan will be in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption'. She added: 'The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other UK police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements. 'Officers make sacrifices every day to keep people safe, and their dedication and professionalism is the reason we manage to deliver significant operations.'
Edinburgh Reporter
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Early release scheme being examined
Thousands of justice sector workers are being quizzed over the impact of The Scottish Government's prisoner early release scheme. Police officers, prison and probation staff, along with courts and tribunal, government and youth justice workers are being asked for their views on how well the scheme is working after scores of offenders – including violent criminals – had their sentences reduced in a bid to cut prison overcrowding. The prisoner early release scheme survey is being carried out among justice sector staff to quantify the impact on workloads, effectiveness, stress levels and pressure demands after hundreds of convicts were granted early release. Skills for Justice, a UK Government quango, wants to hear from workers directly involved to 'gauge how service demand and workloads across the justice system have been affected' and what could be improved as a result. They say: 'The views of staff in policing, prisons, probation and more will be sought in order to explore how service demand and workloads have changed since the intervention and what may be improved in terms of workforce planning and training to help support them in their roles.' Justice workers are being asked if they have personally experienced increased workload or demands, as well as if they feel additional training such as safety and security would help them to do their jobs more effectively. They are also asked if they would welcome the introduction of a 'points based system' to replace the current automatic early release scheme. Separately, a recent poll by Survation found a majority of Scots were against the early release of prisoners with 50% opposed and almost 30% 'strongly' opposed. Only 28% of respondents were in favour of the policy with just 8% strongly supporting it. While the early release scheme was intended to address overcrowding it has faced criticism over its impact on public safety and rehabilitation, with some arguing the policy is a 'quick fix' rather than a long-term solution to overcrowded jails. The scheme involves prisoners sentenced to less than four years in jail with fewer than 180 days still to serve. Some 477 were released early last summer and another 390 freed in three tranches earlier this year. It emerged in September that the prison population was already higher than before the early release scheme kicked in. Association of Scottish Police Superintendents – President Rob Hay The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) has been among the scheme's harshest critics. ASPS's president Chief Superintendent Rob Hay says: 'We have grave concerns about the early release of prisoners back into Scotland's communities. 'The public is being put at risk. Every crime committed and every victim who suffered at the hands of those criminals represent an avoidable consequence of this misguided Scottish Government policy. 'To release prisoners early, knowing further offending is likely to occur, piles pressure on a police service already stretched to breaking under unsustainable demand.' Chief Supt Hay added: 'The only comfort I can offer the public is that where police officers encounter released prisoners who remain involved in crime, we will do all we can to ensure they end up back in custody, where they belong.' Like this: Like Related
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Stop policing the internet and get back on the beat, Scotland's officers are urged
Police officers need to stop 'wasting their time' probing social media posts and get back on the streets to deter crime, a senior officer said yesterday. Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), said it was not the job of police to intervene when people were offended by posts on X and other platforms. He said unless a crime was suspected officers should be 'nowhere near' social media and must get back into the community to prevent and fight crime. Mr Hay has previously warned that police must be 'pacifists in the culture war' and stay away from the 'divisive, political and toxic nature of some of the debate raging in wider society '. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'The public are crying out for more police on the beat after years of SNP cuts to officer numbers. 'The SNP's misguided priorities have seen valuable police time taken up with laws like Humza Yousaf's reckless Hate Crime Act, which have left them unable to respond to every crime. 'Ministers should show some common sense and listen to these calls - and let officers fight crime and protect our communities.' Mr Hay, who addressed delegates at the ASPS annual conference in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, told the Mail: 'I certainly think social media is a terrible environment where there's a lot of toxic stuff - but is it criminal? 'That is always the question that we would ask – does it reach that threshold? 'If it doesn't reach that threshold, we should be nowhere near it. 'So whether or not you are offended by a comment isn't necessarily what makes it a criminal offence. 'There's a threshold there that needs to be met and if it doesn't we should be nowhere near it – we shouldn't be wasting our time.' Instead Mr Hay, who previously warned that police must be 'pacifists in the culture war', said there should be a renewed drive to get officers back on the beat amid concern that police have withdrawn from communities, as manpower declines and stations are shut down or sold off. He said: 'Something that's always been distinct in Scottish policing is that we are there in communities, and visible, and we absolutely need to invest in that area. 'We need to be a service that's close to people and not simply a uniform that they see driving past once in a while. 'If we invest in that way, I think we will see a much greater dividend in terms of community confidence. 'We will see much lower levels of violence because when it's 'Rob Hay, the local community cop', it's very different from when it's just a faceless uniform that turns up - it changes your relationship with the public. 'So being present and being visible in communities is an area that is essential for government and Police Scotland to invest in.' Last month, police chiefs were criticised by a watchdog for their handling of a row over an MSP whose mocking tweet about the Scottish Government's transgender policy was logged as a 'hate incident'. As the Mail revealed last year, a trans activist reported Murdo Fraser's post on X, formerly Twitter, but officers decided it was not a crime and should be classed as a 'hate incident' - even though no law had been broken. Looking at how police handled the MSP's complaints about the incident, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) said the force failed to rebut Mr Fraser's claim that he had been treated differently to JK Rowling and Humza Yousaf, the former First Minister, when they made contentious claims. On November 18, 2023, Tory MSP Mr Fraser shared a column written by Susan Dalgety for The Scotsman, which claimed the government's non-binary equality action plan would lead to children being 'damaged by this cult'. Commenting on the shared post, Mr Fraser said: 'Choosing to identify as 'non-binary' is as valid as choosing to identify as a cat.' In March, there was a row after a couple south of the Border were arrested over complaints they made about their daughter's primary school, which included comments on WhatsApp. Maxie Allen and his partner Rosalind Levine, from Borehamwood, said they were held for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. Hertfordshire Police said the arrests 'were necessary to fully investigate the allegations' but there was 'insufficient evidence' to take any action. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged the 'enormity' of the challenges facing Police Scotland at a time of 'evolving threats and uncertainties'. But she said the 'reality' was that like the rest of the public sector, policing had to operate within a 'tight fiscal environment' and that the government was investing 'what (it) can'. She spoke after a speech by Mr Hay in which he warned of a 'risk to public safety' if the force does not get the 'investment it needs'. Ms Constance said: 'In recent years we have seen some of the toughest financial contexts that we've faced since devolution, with the financial crash, austerity, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, and we know that there are no quick fixes, that there are only hard choices.' Both the Justice Secretary and Chief Constable Jo Farrell, who also spoke at the event, set out a 'new model' of policing that they said would free up officers' time so they could prioritise frontline work, while also improving their wellbeing. Among the measures described, Ms Constance said the introduction of body-worn cameras had been a 'game-changer' in reducing pressure on officers, and that a pilot summary case management project had seen 11,000 fewer officers called to give evidence in court. In his address, the ASPS president had described policing in Scotland as being at a 'critical juncture', and asked that the Chief Constable not be forced to make the 'stark choice' between cutting pay or cutting police numbers. He welcomed the changes and initiatives being introduced to help the force work 'smarter, not harder', but said achieving them required a 'commensurate investment'. Mr Hay said: 'Eighty-seven per cent of our budget is on people. 'So making sure that the police officers are appropriately paid and compensated for the risks and limitations on their lifestyles as a result of the office they hold is absolutely key to making sure we've got a sustainable service, that we get really good people into policing - not just for now, but for next generation as well.' He said the force was calling for a pay rise 'similar' to the 8 per cent awarded last week to NHS workers in Scotland. Mr Hay said: 'I understand we're in a really challenging fiscal environment, but it's clear where the political will exists, the money can be found.' He also warned of an impending recruitment crisis, pointing out that 'around a quarter' of officers can retire in the next five years, and that Police Scotland was 'competing for a share of a shrinking working-age population in Scotland'.
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Revealed: Nation loses 800 officers since formation of Police Scotland
The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) has warned the force is "stretched to breaking" with the Chief Constable facing the prospect of having to "cannibalise" the service to hand hard working officers what it calls a "proper pay rise". It comes as a row brews over those supporting police officers pushing for a 4.5% pay increase for all pay points and all ranks for 2025/26. It includes a claim for a 15% pay restoration rise to make up for losses caused by inflation. But the negotiators have been told that meeting the claim would result in an estimated recurring costs of £186m - the equivalent of around 3,300 officers. It is understood that the official side comprising Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), and the Scottish Government, have already rejected any notion of a pay restoration rise. That had been described by the Scottish Police Federation as "unacceptable". And the association said: "It is a really important time for policing in Scotland, and there needs to be investment in the profession. We need to show police officers that we value the role that they play in society, because that's the only way we're going to continue to attract candidates that meet those exceptionally high standards of professional behaviour that we set for officers. "A recent report suggests that a quarter of officers with under five years' experience are considering leaving policing altogether, and many of them say that's due to financial stress. If we keep going like this we're going to lose the very people who should be the future of the service. The last thing we want is a flight of our top-calibre people as a result of a lack of investment in the service." Police Scotland (Image: Police Scotland) Scottish Police Federation sources have said that the cost of the claim "merely reflects years of real-terms pay erosion imposed on the workforce that has no right to strike". Last year police officers in Scotland withdrew goodwill in protest at a pay offer representatives said shows "contempt" for their work. Officers in Scotland are prohibited by law from taking industrial action or withdrawing labour, but the decision meant they would stop shifts at their scheduled time and not commence shifts early. The decision was made out of what the Scottish Police Federation said was "sheer disappointment" with a pay offer of 4.75%, compared to its request for a 5.7% increase. READ MORE by Martin Williams 'Mismanagement': Public cost of Ferguson Marine hits £750m amidst overspends 'Disrepair endemic': 100,000 Scots private rented homes not fit for human habitation Ministers rapped for 'complete failure' in Scots water body public spending scandal 'Lack of focus': Forbes anger over latest £35m costs hike of ferry fiasco vessel But in January the dispute was resolved with the intervention of arbitrators Acas. Today (Wednesday) the ASPS president Rob Hay will say at the police staff association's annual conference that while the number of police officers in Scotland is falling demand for them has not. And he says that Chief Constable Jo Farrell faces a 'Sophie's Choice' when it comes to the future of the service: reduce police officer numbers even further or cut police officer pay. He says that policing in Scotland needs more government investment, adding: 'Talks of a 'record policing budget' don't account for inflationary pressures, and the policing budget has not kept pace with the demands on the service either. 'How do I know that? It is no secret that the Chief Constable has spoken about the dilemma she faces in this year's pay negotiation. "Without assistance from the Scottish Government, the chief faces the stark choice of cannibalising the service to afford to offer a pay rise that is above inflation. Simply put: reduce police numbers or reduce pay. This is a choice no Chief Constable should have to make.' According to an ASPS survey, only 27% of respondents thought that the demand placed upon them in their role is manageable, and only 31% said that Police Scotland's executive actively supports them in their role. Superintendents and Chief Superintendents are also concerned about how often they are on-call, and how little they are paid for it. Being on-call is predetermined requirement for officers or staff to be available, outside of their normal working hours, to attend or undertake duty. Two thirds (66.7%) told the survey that there was an increased frequency of on-call, and zero respondents thought the current compensation for on-call is fair. Mr Hay continued: 'We look back at 2013, at the birth of Police Scotland, and note almost every pay point, at every rank is worth less now in real terms. And we look at equivalent professions in the public sector, whose pay growth has outstripped policing by 13% and even higher in some cases.' 'Given the over-reliance on on-call to provide essential policing functions and the uncomfortable reality that it is a non-compellable, voluntary duty, not covered by the police regulations, this is a clear message and a challenge to the police service and Government. 'Colleagues have already spoken to me of superintendents 'voting with their feet' and deselecting themselves from on-call duties.' Rob Hay (Image: NQ) He is also highlighting an 'alarming rise' in the numbers of ASPS members suffering from mental health challenges, as the strain of increasing workloads and scrutiny takes its toll. The ASPS says the force as a whole has seen an 85% increase in sickness absence for psychological illness and injury over the past four years. Mr Hay says that superintendent ranks must be given 'the time, the tools and the support to ensure we are creating a positive working environment that lets people deliver their absolute best'. He urged Police Scotland to implement technology that would help officers work smarter, not harder, such as introducing an app to record duty hours accurately. Police Scotland was formed in 2013 after the Scottish Government decided to combine Scotland's eight regional police forces, the serious organised crime unit and the police services authority. Officers were to cover a patch of more than 30,000 square miles and a population of 5.3m people with a beat ranging from the housing estates of east end Glasgow to the islands of Shetland and Fair Isle. At the time the Scottish Government pledged there would be no compulsory job losses having previously stated that having 1,000 extra police officers on the streets was a priority. In 2011, in its gameplan for the future delivery of public services, ministers said the creation of a single Scottish police service would "maintain our commitment to put 1,000 extra police on the beat". Police Scotland and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
