“Be alert, not alarmed”.
That is the key message from police in Fife as they prepare to carry out a range of high-profile counter terrorism activities over the coming days.
People taking to High Streets and retail parks across the region looking for a Black Friday bargain, or those attending large public events such as Christmas lights switch-ons over the weekend, will notice a marked difference in police patrols as the UK Counter Terrorism network’s Counter Terrorism Awareness Week kicks off.
But Fife Superintendent Derek McEwan has stressed that the high-visibility initiatives are not being carried out in response to any specific intelligence but merely to provide reassurance to members of the public.
The main focus will be on the promotion of safety and security advice and guidance within crowded public spaces, given that recent terrorist incidents across the world have, in the main, targeted such areas.
Supt McEwan stressed that communities should continue going about their daily business as usual but remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour.
“The intention will be to have officers where there will be considerable numbers of people – shopping centres, retail parks, the night time economy,” he explained.
“We’re not acting on any intelligence to suggest that there’s any specific threat, but there are individuals out there who want to cause harm and it is a concern to us all.
“What we’re doing is just reinforcing the message that we never switch off from the threat – it’s our daily business now.
“This will hopefully emphasise to communities and the public that they play a vital role in providing us with intelligence on people who have demonstrated behaviour which is perhaps concerning.
“There are people out there who are more than willing to carry out an attack, but it’s through the excellent work by our communities and our law enforcement family that attacks are detected and stopped.”
Communities throughout Scotland have identified counter-terrorism as a key policing priority through their participation in the ‘Your View Counts’ consultation survey, which played an important role in shaping Friday’s operations.
In total across the country, over 500 Police Scotland resources will be utilised on the day, with numerous representatives from a variety of partner agencies also supporting the activity.
Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins, Police Scotland’s National Protect and Prepare Lead, said: “It has often been said that ‘communities defeat terrorism’ and I am firmly of the belief that this is the case.
“We must all ensure that the threat posed by terrorists operating world-wide does not undermine the positive relationships which exist across communities in Scotland.“
Fifers travelling to Waverley Station in Edinburgh are also likely to see heightened police presence as part of the campaign this weekend.
Chief Superintendent John McBride, from British Transport Police, noted that commuters making the same journeys regularly can become “oblivious” to their surroundings, but hopes the public will remain vigiliant.
“We should be proud of the fact that we have a largely open and accessible transport network in this country,” he commented.
“However, this means the police and public must work together to ensure it remains as secure and safe as possible.”
