Northern Ireland

Brexit: Extra police from Britain unlikely but planning 'sensible' says PSNI

Extra police from Britain were deployed for 2013's G8 Summit in Co Fermanagh. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire
Extra police from Britain were deployed for 2013's G8 Summit in Co Fermanagh. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire Extra police from Britain were deployed for 2013's G8 Summit in Co Fermanagh. Picture by Paul Faith/PA Wire

A SENIOR PSNI officer has said it is unlikely that almost 1,000 police from Britain will need to be deployed in the north in the aftermath of Brexit.

But Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said it was "sensible" to have precautionary measures in place just in case additional police resources were needed when the UK leaves the EU.

Under so-called mutual aid arrangements, the PSNI can avail of hundreds of officers from its counterparts in Britain to help tackle public order incidents when its own resources are stretched.

Planning for such circumstances takes place each year. Mr Hamilton said officers from forces in Britain have not been deployed in the north since 2013, when the G8 summit took place in Fermanagh and police faced loyalist street violence linked to a disputed Orange Order parade route on Belfast's Crumlin Road.

It was reported in The Guardian yesterday that almost 1,000 police officers from England and Scotland were to begin training for deployment in the north in case of disorder sparked by a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Hamilton said that at the moment he had no reason to believe the additional police resources would be needed.

"But putting precautionary procedures in place for it is part of a sensible planning process," he said.

"Planning around mutual aid happens every year across UK policing."

He said the planning usually related to the summer months but this year the additional officers would be available from March 29, the date the UK leaves the EU.

DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said there was "nothing to suggest" the additional officers would be needed.

He said it was "unsurprising that the PSNI have attempted to downplay the mutual aid application" and that the chief constable had already requested and received extra funding that would see the recruitment of an additional 308 officers and staff.

"Some reporting of the application was accompanied by images of police officers tackling outbreaks of major public disorder – there is nothing to suggest any such events following our exit from the European Union," the East Antrim MP said.

"Both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom have said they will not impose any new infrastructure at the border which could be the focus of any attack so it is difficult to ascertain what eventualities the officers would train for."