A Tayside police chief insists COP26 will not impact on efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour on Bonfire Night.
Emergency services are making final preparations for the weekend, including the traditional November 5 celebrations on Friday.
Hundreds of officers from across Scotland have been drafted in to help with the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, as world leaders and activists descend on the city.
But speaking exclusively to The Courier, Chief Inspector Graham Binnie – who is overseeing police arrangements for Bonfire Night across Tayside – says there will be plenty of resources on the ground to help keep people safe.
He said: “Despite COP26 we have great resources to maintain business as usual.
“We have vehicles working in conjunction with the fire service to triage areas of concern.
“COP26 has led to the deployment of many officers but we do have the option to call on them for support should we need to.
“There has been planning for public order resources to be available.”
Police dealt with incidents of disorder last year, including a large disturbance on Halloween involving fireworks.
And with Covid-19 forcing the cancellation of council-run events, it is expected more people will attend private gatherings.
Ch Insp Binnie says Police Scotland is getting help in its efforts to ensure the night goes without a bang.
He said: “We have been encouraging local businesses to up their security measures to ensure they are not targeted.
“We are really wanting to promote the message of personal safety, and safety for businesses.
“We want people to enjoy fireworks night, as opposed to focusing on anti-social behaviour.
“Without organised events, there is less need for a formal deployment or road closures, which is good for the public.
“It is worth saying that the community wardens are great in helping us to identify potential problem areas.
“They really are the eyes and ears in the communities, and this can help us prevent a problem before it starts.
“We need to make sure we have people on the ground to avoid flare-ups.”
Police are also urging people to flag up any concerns they have in their communities.
Ch Insp Binnie said: “If you’re worried about something in your area, we need to know about it.
“My advice to the public is to tell the police, fire service or community wardens. We all need to work together to ensure safety.
“If people are gathering lawfully, they are entitled to. The difference is when people are causing rowdy behaviours – we have no desire to break up lawful gatherings.”
Impact of new fireworks laws on policing
New legislation around the use of fireworks was introduced in Scotland earlier this year.
It regulates where you can buy pyrotechnics, and when you can set them off.
Ch Insp Binnie says the new rules will benefit police officers on the street on Bonfire Night.
He said: “I think it will stop fireworks falling into the wrong hands.
“Some will find a way of getting possession regardless, but any preventative measures are good.”
He added: “It’s business as usual, we have made a commitment to this.
“We want everyone to be as safe as possible, and we have a number of tactics at our disposal to do this.
“Operation Moonbeam has given us a template to help this. Operation Moonbeam is the name given to the police and partners’ operations around Bonfire Night and is in place to ensure safety.
“My hope that, while there will be some isolated incidents, people can actually enjoy themselves without things descending into anti-social behaviour.
“We will do everything we can to make sure the night passes safely. We want to also thank every special constable for their help in making sure the night runs smoothly.”
