Mobile CCTV vans and specially trained police officers will be deployed across Glasgow on Bonfire Night to respond to any issues.
The move is included in a raft of plans to keep the public safe and prevent anti-social behaviour on the night. A new joint operations centre is at the centre of the operation and will include officers from Glasgow City Council, Scottish Fire and Rescue and Police Scotland.
The team will be based in a hi-tech operations centre on November 4 and 5 to coordinate a joint response to any issues that arise.
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Police officers within the operations centre will link directly with Greater Glasgow division’s Operation Moonbeam events room to coordinate the deployment of specially trained officers to support local Police, Fire and Community officers to keep people safe during this busy period.
The council’s network of public space CCTV cameras will monitor the situation while mobile CCTV vans will also be deployed around the city.
This is the first year that all the services involved in the bonfire/ fireworks response will be physically based together in the City Operations Centre. Registered social landlord, the Wheatley Group, will also be linked-in virtually to highlight any problems reported by their tenants.
Councillor Elaine McSporran, Glasgow’s Safety Champion, said: “We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable bonfire night. This new joint operations centre will ensure a rapid, coordinated response to any bonfire / fireworks-related incidents.
"In recent years, the partners have worked increasingly closely around November 5 and having the teams physically based together in the operations centre, with the oversight offered by the CCTV cameras, will enhance that partnership even further. I’m sure communities will benefit from this new strategy and urge residents to support all the services by reporting unlit bonfires or any they seem under construction ahead of the night.”
Chief Inspector Elaine Tomlinson of Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue and Glasgow City Council cannot tackle anti-social behaviour and bonfire-related disorder alone and we are confident that this multi-agency approach, aimed at not only responding successfully to reports of criminality but preventing them in the first place will ensure we collectively keep the people of Greater Glasgow safe.
"Any behaviour which puts our community at risk or endangers the safety of our officers will not be tolerated. The new aggravator for attacks on emergency services workers is a welcome addition to our existing legislation and ensures those responsible receive the severest punishment for their actions. Our collaborative approach to bonfire weekend will ensure those intent on causing criminality will be dealt with robustly for the safety and wellbeing of our communities."
Council teams will be authorised to remove unauthorised unlit bonfires from public land.
Concerned residents can report unlit bonfires via the MyGlasgow app, on the council website or by calling 0141 287 9700.
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