COUNCILLORS have questioned the need for a controversial police gun policy in the Highlands that has seen officers routinely armed after it emerged that firearms can be retrieved from squad cars within minutes and not the longer time period previously claimed.
Highland Council's deputy leader David Alston and other members of the local authority were given a demonstration of Firearms Officers' technique for accessing weapons yesterday after becoming concerned about the number of times armed officers were being deployed.
It has been claimed that Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has the power to alter the policy, and calls have been made for him to order a change. It follows Highland Council voting overwhelmingly last week to call for Police Scotland to review its decision.
Mr Alston was briefed by police experts in Inverness.
He said: "We were led to believe that the reason for the change was that it would take 20 minutes to get the guns out of the boot safe, although this used to always be the practice until last year.
"But we watched a demonstration and it took two minutes and 15 seconds. What we don't understand is why the standing firearms authority given by Sir Stephen means that armed officers have to wear their guns at all times.
"Why can it not be varied to allow officers to keep weapons in the secure cabinet in the armed response vehicle, and only take them out when it is decided necessary? It is extra flexibility we are seeking and Sir Stephen has to authority to give it."
He said councillors accepted that the deployment of armed officers was necessary at times.
"But what has emerged is that we have officers who are armed and are not permitted while on duty to remove the arms. They are on occasion used for incidents where armed response is necessary, but the rest of the time they are performing ordinary duties but wearing side arms."
Chief Superintendent Elaine Ferguson, the divisional commander for specialist services, said constables took courses in tactical and decision-making skills to make sure they were as safe as possible on the streets.
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