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Scottish force to police railways Scottish force to police railways
(about 9 hours later)
Police Scotland will take over railway policing when the function is devolved, Scotland's justice secretary has decided.Police Scotland will take over railway policing when the function is devolved, Scotland's justice secretary has decided.
The move means the British Transport Police (BTP) will no longer operate as a separate force in Scotland. The move means that the British Transport Police (BTP) will no longer operate as a separate force in Scotland.
The Smith Commission on further devolution recommended that policing the rail network should be devolved. BTP wanted to continue providing this service, with oversight by Holyrood instead of Westminster.
The BTP wanted to continue providing the service, with oversight by Holyrood instead of Westminster. But Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has decided against that.
But Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has decided against that, and instead wants the force's Scottish operations and more than 200 officers integrated into Police Scotland, possibly by the end of 2016. He wants the force's Scottish operations and more than 200 officers integrated into Police Scotland.
In a statement, the Scottish government said: "Police Scotland is responsible for all policing in Scotland outwith the railways and we believe the functions of the British Transport Police should be integrated within the single service.
"The BTP provide a specialist function that is recognised and valued by the rail industry and its passengers and it is essential that this specialism is maintained within Police Scotland.
"This will ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of all policing in Scotland, keeping communities safe and strong".
'Distinctive approach''Distinctive approach'
In an interview with the PoliceOracle.com website, Mr Matheson said railway policing north of the border needed to become part of Police Scotland because of the country's "distinctive approach to policing". SNP ministers had a high-profile dispute with the British Transport Police over its use of stop and search when they first took office.
Mr Matheson added: "It will become part of Police Scotland. We will set out the model and direction of travel we intend to take in this area. Mr Matheson told the Police Oracle website that railway policing needed to become part of Police Scotland because of the country's "distinctive approach to policing".
"The approach we are going to take is that we are going to take in [BTP] Scotland through Police Scotland so that their approach will be a distinctive Scottish approach. We are not going to be in a situation where it will remain as part of a UK-wide force. And he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Police reforms have been taking place in Scotland over the last 18 months, moving to the single force.
"We've just gone from having eight police forces in Scotland and I'm convinced that taking this area of policy forward we can maintain within Police Scotland the specialism and the distinctive nature of policing our rail network." "It's been the Scottish government's view that this [transport policing] would be better if it was integrated into Police Scotland given that it would sit alongside our national police service.
The former UK minister for the British Transport Police, Tom Harris, said a "hasty decision" could jeopardise public safety. "That's why we believe this would be a better fit for how we are taking policing forward in Scotland."
The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, said retaining a cross-border force was "worthy of consideration". The Smith Commission on further devolution recommended that policing the railway be devolved and this was included in draft legislation drawn up by the UK government.
The British Transport Police and its governing body will meet on Tuesday morning to consider their response to the Scottish government's plan. This is expected to become law after the general election and the BTP could become part of Police Scotland by the end of 2016.
A UK Department for Transport spokesman said: "How rail transport is policed in Scotland will be a matter for Scotland once the legislation is passed."
Labour MP Tom Harris was the minister responsible for the British Transport Police in 2007-08.
"BTP is a long-standing and effective police force" he said.
"It will be sad to see it merged with Police Scotland as part of a further centralisation of services.
"This move is premature. No-one has been consulted - neither the travelling public nor the police officers themselves. A hasty decision today could put at jeopardy the safety of the travelling public tomorrow."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "Some people have argued that the Scottish Parliament should choose to keep the force as one single entity across the UK instead of integrating into Police Scotland.
"I think that is worthy of consideration. We need to have that debate. We need to consider this carefully rather than deciding now what the structure should be."
Previous discussions
BTP has 231 officers in Scotland according to the BTP federation website and a network of 11 offices within major railway stations.
It is dwarfed by Police Scotland which is the largest force in the UK outside London, with more than 17,000 officers.
Under one possible model, BTP could become the Scottish Transport Police division of Police Scotland.
The Scottish Police Authority, which oversees the work of Police Scotland, said it had already started discussions with the BTP.
BTP and its governing body are due to meet to consider their response to the Scottish government's plan.
The cross-border force is worried that losing its Scottish division could lead to the break-up of the entire force.
There have been previous discussions about the Metropolitan Police taking over railway policing in London.
BTP is not the only police force operating in Scotland alongside Police Scotland.
The MOD police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary will continue to protect key sites.