Stirling Councillors have been given an in-depth look at the remit and role of Police Scotland’s Armed Response Vehicle Unit.
Members of the Public Safety Committee met with Armed Policing Operations officers at the Council headquarters last Thursday to discuss recently implemented changes to the ARV unit in Scotland.
The meeting gave councillors a chance to better understand the role of the Unit and how its remit has changed in recent years. Scrutiny was also applied to the chain of command for the Unit and the process of authorisation for the use of firearms by the police.
Convenor of the Public Safety Committee, Councillor Maureen Bennison, said: “The use of firearms in any situation is an extremely serious matter as we’re talking about a potential life and death scenario.
“That’s why it was of such great benefit to speak to these officers and have the chance to understand how this unit operates and is deployed throughout Scotland.”
Plans to equip an extra 500 specially trained officers with Tasers were announced by Police Scotland in December 2017 in direct response to an increase in assaults on officers. This coincided with an increase in the number of incidents involving the carrying of bladed weapons, provoking additional plans to extend the role of Armed Response Vehicle Officers.
Following a nation-wide consultation, the plans were ratified and implemented in May 2018.
The changes mean officers can now be deployed to incidents such as road traffic collisions to provide medical treatment, or assist in missing person searches by using thermal detection technology.
Councillors heard that as recently as May, ARV officers in Stirling assisted with the search for a vehicle reportedly being driven erratically on the M9 at Bannockburn as they were the closest unit available.
Committee members heard from Inspector Alan Findlay from the Armed Policing Operations Unit East, while a report from Chief Inspector Gill Boulton described how the training of Stirling Taser Officers is well underway with the first officers already deployed.
Councillor Bennison added: “I understand the sensitivities over having weapons on our streets, even in the hands of highly trained police officers, so it was crucial the Council had the opportunity to ask questions and receive assurances from Chief Inspector Boulton and her officers. My thanks go to her for that.
“At all levels of the Armed Response Vehicle Units there is training, competency, accountability and responsibility so that was comforting to hear.
“The safety of the public is ultimately our priority and the Police are the same. Thankfully, the message from the meeting regarding these changes was that this has improved.”
Chief Inspector Gill Boulton, Local Area Commander for Stirling, said: “The availability of specially trained Firearms Officers bolsters our local resources in helping to keep the public in Stirling safe. However, it is important for our communities and elected members to know that the attendance of these officers at an incident, does not necessarily mean that the matter requires an armed response.
“Speaking at the Public Safety Committee, we wanted to demonstrate the range of call-outs Firearms Officers attend to serve the community, while at the same time giving reassurance of the stringent command process in place, which must be adhered to, before an officer can unholster their weapon.
“Extensive and continued training is essential for our Firearms Officers and the new Specially Trained Officers, who are permitted to carry Taser. We discussed at great length the training required and I am confident those in attendance were left satisfied that our armed response, or utilisation of Taser is never taken lightly and is only considered in the most seriousness of circumstances.”