By Stewart Ross

“You are going to see more police officers than you have ever seen before in your puff,” said Fife’s Chief Constable Peter Wilson (pictured) yesterday as he explained how the G8 summit is going to be policed.

The eight Scottish forces are to deploy some 4000 officers specifically for G8 and be joined by 1000 officers of the Metropolitan Police and a further 5000 from other English and Welsh constabularies.

The chief constable was giving an overview of the Scottish Police Information and Co-Ordination Centre (SPICC) which will run the logistics and administration of the G8 policing.

Operational issues—such as how many officers will be sent to incidents or events and how they are to be tasked—will be a decision for the chief constable in the area concerned but SPICC will handle everything else.

Comprising three adjoining rooms in Fife’s police HQ in Glenrothes, SPICC has officers and support staff from across the country and can monitor every force’s command and control system.

There is an area concentrating on road policing, advisors from the Crown Office, representatives of the public utilities, other emergency services and the Scottish Executive. There is also a section of the SPICC which handles “public order” issues and, to that end, knows where to find the officers trained in shield and baton.

More than 2500 vehicles have been given over to G8 policing, 40,000 meals will be prepared for those involved at sites across the country and 9000 hotel beds have been booked for the massive law enforcement influx.

The SPICC is manned and ready and will be operating 24 hours a day for the duration of the summit.

For their part, Fife Constabulary have cancelled leave, training courses, court dates and secondments with other constabularies following suit.

“We have studied in detail what impact G8 will have on Fife and, as far as the public is concerned, this will not have any effect on the level of policing they expect,” said Mr Wilson.

As well as being Fife’s chief, Mr Wilson will, on July 1, become president of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and can speak on behalf of all eight Scottish forces.

“In some areas you are going to see more police officers than you have ever seen before in your puff but 99% of Scotland will not be affected at all,” he said.

“Already there are more officers policing the Forth bridges whilst motorcycle patrols have been increased around the kingdom.”

On the question of serious disorder, Mr Wilson said officers would take a defensive stance. “We are aware that there is a small minority who will be there for troublemaking or mischief but they will be pursued, pursed relentlessly.”

How many people will attend to demonstrate is not yet known but if Mr Wilson’s composure is anything to go by, it doesn’t matter. The Scottish police are ready.