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Perthshire sees services cut as Police Scotland diverts officers to Commonwealth Games security

Armed police patrolling a gate at the Commonwealth Games athletes' village.
Armed police patrolling a gate at the Commonwealth Games athletes' village.

Communities across Perth and Kinross could be stripped of police officers as Scotland hosts the Commonwealth Games.

Hundreds of Tayside officers will be deployed to the event and it has been revealed it will have a significant impact on services.

The custody suite at Perth police headquarters will be closed during much of Glasgow 2014 due to a lack of manpower.

That move could deprive communities of hundreds of hours of policing as detainees are instead transported to Dundee, significantly adding to journey times.

It could have the most significant impact in rural communities such as Strathearn, Strathallan and Highland Perthshire.

Police Scotland said it was “committed to keeping communities safe” and “providing safe, secure and accessible custodial services to meet the needs of police officers”.

However, Liberal Democrat community safety spokesman Lewis Simpson said the decision had “nothing to do with maintaining the safety of our communities” and had been taken “without any consultation”.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: “We all want the Commonwealth Games to be appropriately staffed by police so that they pass safely and can be enjoyed by all who attend, but vital local policing should not be compromised.

“Closing the custody suite for the majority of the week at Perth police HQ could have a significant impact on local policing resources.

“It smacks of high-handedness that local councillors were not consulted on such an important decision.”

The games will involve officers from across the country but the force is adamant the manpower requirements will not erode local policing.

Police Scotland head of custody Chief Superintendent Ciorstan Shearer said demands on policing and custodial services during the lead into the games had led to the decision.

It will see Dundee Police Station become the primary receiving custody centre from Monday to Thursday, with Perth coming fully online only at weekends, from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.

Chief Superintendent Shearer said: “Police Scotland will of course continue to evaluate and monitor the development of its custodial services to ensure the most effective and efficient use is made of its resources in keeping people safe. The situation will revert back to normal after the end of the Commonwealth Games.”

Police said that for “operational reasons” it “cannot divulge” exactly how many officers from Tayside Division would be deployed to Glasgow 2014.

Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said it was vital that Perth and Kinross residents do not experience a reduction in standards of community policing during the games.

“While it is understandable that forces throughout Scotland are contributing to the games effort, there could be serious issues if hundreds of police man hours are spent transporting detainees to Dundee rather than policing the streets,” he said.

Perth city councillors Willie Wilson and Callum Gillies described the decision to close the custody suite for four days each week as “unacceptable”.

They fear officers will spend hours in transit and waiting in Dundee rather than on the streets of their communities.

“It would appear that very little thought has been given to the needs of Perth and Kinross, in policing terms, during the Commonwealth Games,” Mr Wilson said.

Mr Gillies said he would meet Labour colleague Dr Richard Simpson MSP to discuss the issue.

The Scottish Courts Service said it did not expect the custody changes to impact on court appearances.