Officers for hire at Scottish force

Officers would not be taken off operational duties

A Scottish police force has been given permission to hire its officers out to private firms.

Rank-and-file police officers have hit out at a scheme that would allow them to be sponsored by commercial companies.

Lothian and Borders has become the first force in Scotland to allow private firms to pay to use the services of police officers.

Critics have called it a "rent-a-cop" scheme and warned it could lead to a two-tier service - with the rich buying better policing.

"It rocks the fundamental basis on which policing in Scotland is based

Calum Laurie
Lothian and Borders Police Federation

Under the initiative officers could be stationed on buses or in shopping centres in an effort to cut petty crime.

Attacks on drivers and passengers prompted a request from Lothian Buses in Edinburgh for an extra police presence on their services.

The proposals were approved at a meeting of the force's police board.

Iain Coupar of Lothian Buses said the decision was "excellent news".

He said: "Extra police out there will benefit our staff, our passengers and hopefully will see the reduction of mindless attacks."

Lothian and Borders Chief Constable Paddy Tomkins told members of the police board that the initiative was a way of improving community safety "where police assessment of need does not justify reallocation of resources from elsewhere".

'Dangerous precedent'

He stressed that officers would not be taken off operational duties to undertake paid work.

There will also be a limit on the number of posts which could take part in such initiatives at one time.

Mr Tomkins said sponsorship agreements would benefit local communities.

Calum Laurie, joint branch board secretary of the Lothian and Borders Police Federation, called the decision "ridiculous".

He said: "It rocks the fundamental basis on which policing in Scotland is based and if it's allowed to continue, it really could be ruin for the police service in Scotland."

Privileged protection

He said budgets and finance were tight in the police force but this was not the way to find extra resources.

Scottish National Party justice spokeswoman Roseanna Cunningham said she was afraid of setting a dangerous precedent.

"I am extremely concerned about the way in which this is going and the impact it could have on the ability of chief constables and other officers to determine their operational priorities," she said.

"It threatens eventually to lead to a two-tier police force.

"If more money is needed for policing, it should come from the Scottish Executive and not from a community whip-round or private cash buying privileged protection."