The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Council investigating equipping politicians with panic alarms
Authority is looking at possibility of issuing satellitelinked devices
Fife councillors could be given panic alarms to help protect them in the wake of the fatal attack on Jo Cox MP.
The council is looking at whether to issue satellite-linked safety devices to its 78 elected members.
Local authorities across Tayside and Fife are looking at beefing up security, while the Scottish Parliament is in talks with Police Scotland about what new personal safety measures it could deploy.
Last week East Lothian Council decided to equip its 23 elected councillors with the discreet alarms, which will link to a tracking system of the type used by the NHS to protect lone workers.
The renewed focus on politicians’ personal safety comes after Mrs Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, died in June aged 41 after being shot and stabbed following a constituency meeting.
A spokeswoman for Fife Council said: “We are currently exploring the possibility of getting personal alarms for councillors. Our personal safety guidance for elected members is currently being updated.”
Other councils are also keeping tabs on how to best protect their elected members, who are often exposed when they conduct surgeries.
A spokesperson for Perth & Kinross Council said: “We are not currently considering satellite-tracked panic buttons for councillors.
“However, elected members are made aware of lone working best practice for when they are on business on their own, such as visiting constituents, holding surgeries etc.”
An Angus council spokeswoman said they are keeping a “watchful eye on all issues and events that have a bearing on the safety and security of council staff and elected members”.
She added: “It would not be good practice to give details of any specific security arrangements that we may have in place or may be considering.”
A Dundee City Council spokeswoman said: “Appropriate advice is given to all our elected members.”
Nationally, Holyrood bosses are in talks with police and MSPs to see if security can be improved.
“MSPs’ safety is a priority at the Scottish Parliament,” a Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said.
“We are in discussion with members and Police Scotland on security matters and a range of measures are in place and under regular review.”