Fears have been raised over the future of community policing in Dumfries and Galloway.
Several councillors have been alerted to concerns from local residents that officers dedicated to particular areas are to be redeployed.
Councillor Dougie Campbell, a former senior Strathclyde police officer and chairman of the council’s police, fire and rescue committee until last year, is alarmed at the prospect.
He said: “I’ve been advised that a proportion of community police officers are being temporarily withdrawn and redeployed to frontline
policing.
“Having led community police teams myself as a senior police officer, I’m acutely aware of the vital and visible role these officers play in serving rural communities.
“If this goes I worry that it will never come back.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Graham Bell this week contacted Chief Superintendent Carol McGuire, head of the Dumfries and Galloway Police Division, after being told of the potential redeployment of community cops.
He told the Standard: “I have represented North West Dumfries for more than 16 years I’ve had a number of community officers within the area that I’ve known quite well and I’ve had really positive feedback working with them.
“I’m concerned about this watered down police force we’re getting in Dumfries and Galloway.
“There was a story recently that Dumfries and Galloway was the sixth safest place to live in Scotland – under our old Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary we were the safest. A national force just doesn’t work.”
According to sources within the force, some community officers are already in the process of being redeployed.
Chief Superintendent McGuire refuted that claim, but confirmed a review was ongoing.
She said: “Resourcing across Scotland faces challenges and the chief constable has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead.
“The resourcing picture in Dumfries and Galloway Division is subject to regular review in an effort to ensure that our frontline resources are able to respond to ever-changing demand.”
She added: “No changes have been made at present to our existing operational policing model.
“However, a review is being carried out to ensure our policing response is effective and continues to best meet the needs of our communities.”
Councillor Bell responded: “If a review is going to be taking place then we need a number of stakeholders and members of the community to engage with the process because we’re not going to take this lightly.”
The current chairman of the council’s police, fire and rescue committee chairman, Ian Blake, also a former police officer, said: “I only found about this from a member of the public raising concerns about the withdrawal of community policing.
“I had no communication from the police up to that time.
“We’re told it’s a temporary measure although they are going to review things, which looks quite ominous and I’m concerned at the lack of consultation.”
The police, fire and rescue committee’s next meeting is on June 15.
