SCOTLAND’s police watchdog will hear a major presentation on Brexit in private because “disclosure of information could prejudice national security”.
Senior officers in Scotland have long and publicly warned that of the potential consequences of the UK leaving the European Union, including the possible need to send their officers to Northern Ireland.
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone is expected to revisit Brexit preparations when he addresses the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) at one of its regular meetings on Wednesday.
His remarks will be in public but a further presentation, on the impact on operational policing will be made to SPA board members without an audience.
There is nothing unusual in operational matters being discussed in private and previous board meetings have also discussed Brexit in private.
That is because leaving the EU could pose significant challenges to Police Scotland’s officer deployments.
Officially the SPA said that the item would be held in secret because “discussion in public would be likely to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice or the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation” and because “disclosure of information could prejudice national security”.
Earlier this month Scottish police chiefs said they planned to put officer cuts on hold as they brace for potential Brexit chaos. They formally announced that they would not reduce officer numbers by 300 in the coming financial year, as previously planned, and that it will bring forward a recruitment drive to this spring.
Mr Livingstone has already said his force was on standby to send officers to Northern Ireland where there are fears Brexit will jeopardise the peace process.
The threat of a return to violence or disorder across the North Channel has played a key role in law enforcement planning for Brexit. So too have concerns over delays to food and other imports and people at UK borders, Mr Livingstone said last year.
Back in December, the Scottish Police Federation warned warned that the strain of Brexit and the need for more officers would risk a “catastrophic impact” on day-to-day policing.
Its general secretary, Calum Steele, said: “We estimate that Brexit alone will create demand equivalent to between 750 and 900 officers.”
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