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Inverness councillors call for armed police talks

Scotland will not slip into situation where police are routinely armed, according to justice secretary.
Scotland will not slip into situation where police are routinely armed, according to justice secretary.

Inverness councillors have stepped into the row about the role of armed police in the Highlands.

Members of the City of Inverness Area Committee called for a meeting with senior police over the issue, which has recently caused controversy in the region and nationally.

Councillor Fraser Parr said he had serious questions about police officers being permanently armed with hand guns.

He said: “It’s now one size fits all. What’s good for Glasgow now seems to be good for Golspie.

“Armed police are only needed for armed criminals. We have the lowest number of incidents in the UK for firearms.

“We need to meet with Police Scotland to discuss the appropriate response in Inverness.”

And Councillor Ken MacLeod said: “I have never seen such a loss of faith in the police service as this single matter of putting guns in the hands of officers has caused.”

Committee chairman, city leader Councillor Ian Brown tried to stop the debate by stating that the officer present at the meeting, Inverness area commander, Chief Inspector Mark Mackay, could not answer the questions.

However, Chief Insp Mackay said: “It is a national policy and Highlands and Islands division forms part of the national strategy. Bernard Higgins (assistant chief constable) came up to Inverness and had a meeting with MSP John Finnie, which was well documented.”

Councillors made their comments just days after the justice sub-committee launched an investigation into why armed officers are patrolling the Highlands.

The justice sub-committee on policing agreed to grill Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority about the tactic after Mr Finnie raised concerns.

Members backed a proposal calling for “further information on the decision to allow a number of armed response vehicle officers to carry sidearms”.