Extra police in a bid to clamp down on Halloween disturbances

Extra police will be on the streets this Halloween and Bonfire Night in a bid to crack down on any disorder – following high call volumes and vandalism in parts of Scotland last year.

Police Scotland said it was “devoting a range of specialist resources to assist local policing teams”.

It said the move was a response to the “unacceptable behaviour of a minority of Scotland's communities” last year.

During these incidents emergency service workers were targeted, including one incident in Edinburgh where a police sergeant was injured after a firework struck her.

The force said a range of specially-trained officers will be deployable to all policing commanders in the north, west and east of the country.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Anderson said: "What we want to make it clear to our communities that the level of disorder witnessed last year cannot and will not be tolerated.

"Members of the public saw their vehicles and other items of property destroyed and emergency service personnel were the victims of attacks that put their safety and wellbeing at serious risk.

"To prevent similar incidents arising this year, a range of specialist police resources have been earmarked to provide additional capabilities to local policing teams throughout the country.

"Each local division is still responsible for the planning and deployment of their officers in their area, but has the reassurance of having specially-trained national assets at their disposal in the event of any serious incidents arising.

"Police Scotland is committed to protecting the public, as well as our own staff, and the benefit of a single force is the ability to call upon specialist resources and officers to support local policing."