Police Scotland has called in assistance from forces in England and Wales to help with Bonfire Night operations, as it mounts the biggest deployment of officers since the visit of US President Donald Trump last year.
The November 5 celebrations coincide with a major European football clash and a possible protest in Glasgow, and officers from as far afield as Avon and Somerset, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and South Wales will be on the streets of Scotland.
With the additional police in place, Chief Superintendent David Robertson of Police Scotland said: “I believe we are prepared.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme on Thursday, he said: “One of the benefits of being a national service is we can move resources around the country, and on this occasion we are bringing in some colleagues from England and Wales to give us some additional support.”
We are skilled, we have specially trained and equipped officers, we have the capability to deal with these challenges and we are there, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the communities year after year, and that will be the same tonight
After Bonfire Night disorder in parts of Scotland in previous years, he said there will a “large deployment of officers” to deal with any trouble.
That comes despite Mr Robertson saying there have been “improvements over the last few years”, with reduced incidents of firefighters being targeted on call-outs.
“We have seen improvement, but we’re not complacent,” Mr Robertson said.
“There are some communities across Scotland who have experienced this terrible behaviour for, in some instances, more than 10 years now.
“It is a small minority of individuals, but their behaviour remains completely unacceptable and there have been real consequences for communities, for emergency service providers, and there have also been real consequences for the offenders.
“We are skilled, we have specially trained and equipped officers, we have the capability to deal with these challenges and we are there, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the communities year after year, and that will be the same tonight.”
Celtic play Turkish club Besiktas in a Uefa Europa League match at Celtic Park on Thursday night and there are “limited reports” suggesting a protest could also take place in Glasgow, which Mr Robertson said meant there is an “added complexity” to the policing operation in the city.
But he stressed: “We have adapted, we have brought in additional resources, we have reviewed and revised our plans.”
Community safety minister Kirsten Oswald told the same programme that police forces calling in help from other parts of the country under mutual aid arrangements is “something that happens on a reasonably regular basis”.
She added: “It’s really important that we do have the officers that are needed, the provisions that are needed this evening.
“It is quite a unique set of circumstances that the police are facing. They have the big football game, the potential disorder, and of course, Bonfire Night is already a very significant night in the calendar for all of our emergency services.
“The work that our emergency services do this evening is absolutely critical. I absolutely stand behind them in that, and would ask people to please consider their own behaviour, behave in an orderly manner. If you’re going to enjoy fireworks, do that safely.”
She said organised displays are “probably the best way to enjoy fireworks” and she would “absolutely encourage people to do things that way”.
Speaking to the Press Association on Thursday afternoon, Mr Robertson said he is “confident that we’re ready for whatever may happen this evening”.
“Tonight is about capitalising on the additional capability and capacity we’ve got deployed tonight,” he told officers at a Fettes police station briefing before they deployed.
“We need to respond effectively and we need to make our presence felt when it’s required.”
Mr Robertson said the vast majority of people who are out will likely be enjoying bonfire night peacefully.
“Our job is to protect them from those who may have other intentions,” he said.
“If we do see disorder, my ask of you tonight is really simple: that you respond effectively to help protect the communities that might be affected.”
He asked officers to be proactive, decisive and disciplined.
“If it’s necessary to make arrests, then please do so,” he said.
Mr Robertson added that officers should be “disciplined and decisive at the same time” to bring disorder to a conclusion “quickly, safely and effectively”.
“It is not lost on me the additional training and responsibility you are all voluntarily taking on to go out and protect our communities tonight, and you may face considerable risk in doing so,” he said.
“I am very grateful for your commitment. So, please look after yourselves and each other, and make sure that everyone gets home safely tonight.”
Police Scotland chief constable Jo Farrell also addressed officers at the Edinburgh station before they deployed.
She said she is “absolutely confident” in officers ahead of the evening.