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Business as usual
162. Police Scotland has integrated BAU requirements into Games planning, with early engagement across local policing divisions giving them clear sight of expected abstractions. As indicated, Police Scotland decided at an early stage to ask for police officers and police staff to volunteer for shifts on the Games, which is a departure from usual practice on similar events. However, it has had a good response, with the planning team receiving hundreds of replies. Local Policing divisions were given the opportunity to review their volunteers to ensure that they were not losing a business-critical member of staff from their BAU role.
163. Police Scotland’s approach to the Games espouses proportionality, reassurance and policing by consent, with adjustment to deployments, firearms activity, CT measures and venue security planning designed to minimise any unnecessary visibility. CTSAs have carried out structured venue and public space walkthroughs to support proportionate and reassurance-focused security planning. This has reduced the number of police deployments in comparison with the much larger Games held in 2014.
164. As part of its overall resourcing model, Police Scotland has taken proportionate steps to reduce the number of resources required for the Games, while maintaining sufficient resources to mitigate the risks presented. However, the Games are of a size and scale that there will still be a requirement for a significant number of resources to safely police it. The number of resources required for an event of this scale will not only affect Greater Glasgow local policing division, but other local policing divisions across the country (Scotland’s single police service structure is well suited to this type of internal mutual aid).
165. We have been told that resources will be drawn mainly from the east and west of Scotland and that – apart from some specialist functions – there will be a limited impact on northern divisions. The exception to this are those selected from the list of volunteers. The rationale for limited use of northern officers is due to geographical limitations on travelling to and from the venues each day. There will be staff based at the Scottish Police College in Fife for the duration of the event, who will travel to and from the Games venues each day.
166. Interviews with BAU staff indicated confidence that resourcing requests associated with the Games can be managed alongside ongoing demand, supported by volunteer uptake, established co-ordination processes and the limited requirement for abstraction of non‑deployable officers beyond logistics roles.
167. Continued monitoring of wider demand pressures, including parallel events, will be necessary to maintain BAU across Scotland. We are aware that the planning team has brought together a group looking at parallel events during the Games period to ensure that all events, including the Games, can be safely managed. However, it is the nature of policing that there are always unforeseen/spontaneous events that can take place and will need resourcing. And the reduction in policing numbers over recent years will no doubt mean that policing will be tested over this summer period.
168. We are aware that all divisions carry an element of abstractions in sickness and modified duties and are trying hard to reduce these abstractions to ensure frontline officers are supported as best they can. It should be noted that there is no intention to move local policing to 12‑hour shifts (as has occurred at other events), and officers will remain in their core shifts during the Games period.
169. We have been told that a central overview of BAU resourcing will continue up to and throughout the Games period. One of the advantages of a single service is the ability to flex resources where they are needed. Early visibility of anticipated abstractions, supported by engagement between the planning team, resource advisers and divisional leads, will enable divisions to plan ahead and minimise disruption to day-to-day policing.
Community engagement
170. The draft community impact assessment shows that there is a structured, proactive approach to maintaining public confidence, legitimacy and equality. Evidence shows that community impact feedback is routinely gathered through monthly Bronze meetings, including input from local area commanders and minority and diversity groups that Police Scotland has links into. Community impact monitoring and EqHRIA considerations underpin this approach.
171. We have been informed that Operation Servator will commence from May 2026. Deterring hostile reconnaissance and providing a proportionate visible police presence can provide helpful reassurance to businesses and the public during high-profile events such as the Commonwealth Games.