THREE hundred Scottish riot police are already on stand-by for Brexit.
Police Scotland has confirmed it “stood-up” the officers earlier this month as it prepares for any potential fall-out from Britain leaving the EU.
The national force has also put in place a special Brexit nerve centre at Bilston Glen in Midlothian.
Senior officers have long warned they will have to keep resources in reserve in case of trouble, either at home or in Northern Ireland.
They have previously flagged up potential flashpoints over ports, airports and food supplies.
Officers on the reserve are public order trained and are working shifts from five hubs across the country under the command of Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr, a veteran of the Police Service of Northern Ireland the UK National Crime Agency.
The Scottish response, stood up on March 18, is initially scheduled to last 12 weeks. It is being co-ordinated as part of the UK’s Operation Yellowhammer Brexit preparations.
Mr Kerr outlined his force’s Brexit strategy in a paper to his ruling board. It includes “maintaining law and order”, co-ordinating other emergency and public services and protecting “as far as possible, service delivery at pre Brexit levels”.
Crucially, priorities also include providing support to other law enforcement agencies outside Scotland
Last month Mr Kerr said: “We are currently planning for a variety of possible scenarios, including potential disruption around Scottish sea and air ports, and protest events, to wider challenges across the UK leading to potential public disorder, which could lead to mutual aid requests from other police services in the UK.
“The Chief Constable has made it very clear that we will respond to such requests, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland, but any request will always be considered against the needs of policing in Scotland.”
Police Scotland has put off plans to slim down its officer numbers as it awaits Brexit.
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