SCOTLAND'S police face becoming targets if moves go ahead to allow the deployment of officers to Northern Ireland during extreme periods of violence and civil unrest, rank and file officers have claimed.

A lack of firearms capability and concerns over retribution to officers sent to the province have been cited as concerns by the Scottish Police Federation as moves are made to secure the support of mainland police during periods of acute disorder.

Protocols are being hammered out to ensure the commitment of UK forces at a time of falling rolls at the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and recurring flashes of dissident activity and street rioting.

Officers travel around the UK to assist forces in need, but never before have frontline public order police been deployed to Northern Ireland, given the specific terrorist threat.

Chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, Brian Docherty, said the key concern was officers would not be equipped with firearms as routinely as is the case with their Northern Ireland colleagues.

He added: "Officers in Northern Ireland are being shot at and having petrol bombs thrown at them and the number of incidents like this on the mainland are few and far between.

"As soon as you put someone in an area and they have a different uniform and speak a different language and they aren't as heavily protected, they are a target."

Mr Docherty said there were issues with pension and sickness payments should an officer from Scotland be injured while on the volunteer deployment.

He said: "Quite clearly we have a political and deep rooted bias in and around the Belfast area that is replicated across parts of the west of Scotland.

"With the short distances that lie between the two areas, it would be very simple for officers from Scotland to become targets, for that to be brought back to their homeland. Then you are looking at officers being rehoused and families moved."

He stressed there was "no question" PSNI would be left without help but said the easiest solution was to give more resources to the Northern Ireland force.

Mr Docherty added: "The PSNI loss of numbers since the peace agreements have been significant. The issues that police are facing now in Northern Ireland aren't going to go away."

Police have been cut from 12,500, plus 13,000 troops in support, in 1998 to around 6500 today, with the reduction reflecting life after the peace process. However, difficulties in recruitment have been noted due to budget cuts and security issues.

PSNI officers have assisted forces on the mainland but a reciprocal agreement has always been controversial and limited broadly to counter-terrorism intelligence officers.

However, mainland police worked in Northern Ireland during the recent marching season in back office roles to free up staff for frontline duties.

Assistant chief constable Cliff Anderson, general secretary of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said: "The deployment of officers to any part of the United Kingdom is handled under tried and tested arrangements through the Scottish Police Information and Co-ordination Centre.

"Such deployments have happened on a number of occasions and have taken into account the policing needs of the forces seeking assistance balanced with the absolute need to ensure Scottish policing retains the capacity to deal effectively with any demands placed upon it.

"The safety and welfare of our officers is paramount and nothing would be done to put those at risk. It would not be appropriate, however, to discuss details of training or security associated with mutual aid arrangements."

A PSNI spokeswoman said there were no plans currently in place to deploy officers from Scotland. The office for Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he did not comment on operational matters.