The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Worries over armed police
Top councillor says city’s police would only use guns if needed after concerns weapons are ‘intimidating’ as armed officer numbers set to rise
The armed police presence in Dundee has been questioned as the force prepares to deploy 90 more officers with guns on Scotland’s streets.
Officers with machine guns have been deployed to at least two high profile incidents in areas of the city during the past week.
Last Wednesday, residents of the Elms reported seeing half a dozen vehicles descend and armed officers on their street.
Police later confirmed the incident involved just one man, who was detained and taken to hospital.
On Sunday, members of the public reported seeing armed officers in fourwheel drives following an alleged incident in Court Street.
Resident Craig Robertson said: “Most will not have seen a real gun in their life, never mind high powered machine guns.
“It might have been for their own safety but still would have been intimidating for the general public.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said officer deployment is dependant on each individual case and procedures have not changed since recent terror attacks in London and Manchester.
Councillor Alan Ross, Dundee’s community safety and public protection convener, said he would rather face questions on the subject now than in the wake of any potential terror attack.
Mr Ross said: “Police would only deploy officers if they had intelligence to merit it.
“I can totally understand why people would be alarmed. People panic when they see a gun. It is not a decision which officers would take lightly.”
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said the force is “an unarmed service with an armed capability”.
He added: “We are currently in the process of increasing our ARV (armed response vehicle) capability by some 90 officers and this will be complete in the very near future, taking the total number of armed officers dedicated to ARVs to 365, with no plans to increase that number further.”
A 25-year-old man appeared in court yesterday in connection with the alleged incident in Court Street.
Ross Jackson appeared in private on petition accused of holding a firearm to the fear and alarm of others in the belief that they would be assaulted on Saturday June 10.
He was remanded in custody.
It might have been for their own safety but still would have been intimidating for the general public