Question reference: S4W-03778
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 3 November 2011
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Current status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 November 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where the risk assessment of the Airwaves communication system used by UK police officers and by Scottish police officers deployed elsewhere in the UK is available and whether it contains control measures aimed at preventing an overload that could require officers to switch off their radios.
Answer
Airwave delivers mission critical voice and data communications to Scotland's police, fire and ambulance services as well as the wider resilience community. The system offers high levels of resilience and enhanced levels of interoperability contributing to a Safer, Stronger Scotland.
The National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) provides guidance on operational procedures for police officers deployed out of their normal sphere of operations. Organisational structures exist on national, regional and local levels to put into practice these procedures. Ultimately the responsibility for applying this practice into operations lies with each chief constable. Further information, that may bear more detailed relevance to the question posed, can be obtained from NPIA and relevant chief constable(s).