Police tasked with keeping people safe at the Commonwealth Games still don’t know when they will be working, according to those on the front line.
An email seen by The Courier also reveals concerns are being regularly expressed about the number of officers on the frontline, and draws a connectionbetween the issue and potentiallydangerous accidents.
Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman, Graeme Pearson, called the revelations “deeply worrying”.
The note, sent to members of theScottish Police Federation by North Area chairman David Hamilton, said: “It will come as no surprise to you to know that our inboxes are full of complaints regarding shifts and ‘street’ resourcing levels.”
It added: “If you attend an incident and had a ‘near miss’ due to a lack of resources (or any other such matter), you are legally obliged to record it.”
On the Commonwealth Games, Mr Hamilton said: “I cannot explain whymany have not been notified of theirshift times, why some officers have been rostered for 12 days in succession or why there has been so little communication to you.”
Mr Pearson said: “We have expressed concerns for months on the number of police officers on the street and if their safety is at risk then action must be taken as a matter of priority to ensure staffing levels are appropriate.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Alison McInnes said: “It’s worrying that with only a month to go before the Commonwealth Games we learn that Police Scotland hasn’t resolved basic issues such as rostering.”
Scottish Conservative justicespokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “The SNP may brag about their 1,000 extra officers, but that is no good if so many of them are filling administrative roles instead of being out on the frontline.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “I have had assurances from senior officers and management that there is no identified issue with resourcing.”
Assistant Chief Constable DerekRobertson said: “Detailed resourceplanning has been undertaken to ensure there are sufficient officers policing the games who are drawn from acrossScotland, while ensuring that sufficient police resources remain in our communities to continue to provide the level of service Scottish communities have come to expect from Police Scotland.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “While resourcing is a matter for the police themselves, this administration has overseen an increase in police officernumbers to record levels in Scotland.”