Scottish police plea for cash to fund 400 ‘Brexit officers’

Speaking at a board meeting of police oversight body the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Mr Livingstone said contingency plans were in place based on a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ for the UK leaving the EU.

He said this could include public disorder, disruption at ports and airports, and the need for Police Scotland officers to be deployed elsewhere in the UK under mutual aid agreements, likely to Northern Ireland.

He confirmed moves to recruit around 100 extra officers to deal with the issue and scrapping plans to cut 300 police, which had been expected to save £12.6m.

The savings were part of a drive to reduce the SPA’s deficit, which stood at £34m last year.

Questioned if the 400 officers would be applied ‘specifically to Brexit’, Mr Livingstone confirmed they would.

But he warned: ‘The financial sustainability that we need to establish will be threatened by some of the operational decisions I need to make around Brexit.

‘There is a significant risk that without additional funding, the budget will result in a larger deficit than previously stated if officer numbers are retained at current levels.

‘In this regard, it is important to publicly underline that the consequences of Brexit have not yet led to necessary additional funding being allocated to Scottish policing.

‘My key priority will remain ensuring the citizens of Scotland are effectively protected, policed and kept secure.

‘I understand UK Treasury funding has been made available to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in regard to their Brexit contingency funding, to policing and law enforcement in England and Wales.’

He outlined ‘concerns about the lack of additional resource’, in light of the ‘demanding plan’ to eliminate the deficit by 2021.

He added: ‘While we remain focused on building a sustainable, financially disciplined service going forward, there is real acute imminent pressure on policing at the moment and I would really welcome some additional funding as some of my chief constable colleagues in other parts of the UK have already benefited from.’

SPA chairwoman Susan Deacon said her organisation shared his concerns and would write to the Scottish Government to quantify the funding required.

She said the letter would stress the ‘hope and belief that it would be possible for additional contingency funding to be made available’ either from either the Scottish or UK government.

She added: ‘These provisions have been put in place in others parts of the UK and I think it is not unreasonable that we should look for the equivalent here.’

In December, the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said up to 900 more police were needed in Scotland to cope with Brexit.