Police fury as rest days cancelled for Trump

SECURITY: Officers’ leave called off in case US president visits golf course

Officers from Police Scotland have been left fuming after being told they must get to Aberdeen for a 5am start – in case US President Donald Trump wants to visit his golf course.

The force has cancelled leave for officers across the country and told them they should be in Aberdeen first thing on Saturday July 14 when Trump is likely to be in Scotland.

One officer, based in the central belt, said: “We have been told our leave is cancelled on the Saturday and myself and others have been told to be in Aberdeen for 5am.

“They obviously aren’t saying exactly what he’s likely to be doing, but it wouldn’t take a genius to work out he’ll most likely be visiting the Menie golf course.

“We haven’t been given much more detail than that, or given any indication that we’ll be put up overnight in Aberdeen, so it’s a real pain.”

Interim Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has said as many as 5,000 officers would need to be deployed nationwide to cover a presidential stopover.

The cost of policing the Trump visit is estimated to be £5 million and the UK Government has pledged to ringfence that sum to cover the event.

Lots of my colleagues are deeply unhappy about being called away at short notice. POLICE SCOTLAND OFFICER

Trump, who may also visit his other golf course at Turnberry in Ayrshire, is due to make his first official visit to the UK on July 13 and is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Theresa May.

He is then expected to meet the Queen at Windsor Castle before flying to Scotland and fitting in a round of golf. Demonstrations against the controversial president are already planned for Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The officer, who asked not to be named, said: “There are so many largescale events on at this time of year that pulling everyone away for Trump must be an operational nightmare.

“I would expect towns that already have limited cover at weekends will be left with no police presence at all because everyone has been told they have to cover Trump’s visit.

“Lots of my colleagues are deeply unhappy about being called away at short notice.”

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams said: “Police Scotland is undertaking extensive planning for a potential visit by the President of the United States.

“This planning includes the re-rostering rest days.

“We don’t comment on operational deployment plans for security reasons.”

US President Donald Trump will make his first official visit to the UK on July 13 and it is expected he will want to fit in a round of golf at his course at Menie in Aberdeenshire and may also visit his other course at Turnberry in Ayrshire.