COUNCIL leaders have welcomed the decision to take action on the increased presence of armed police on the streets of Fife, admitting that the matter was one which needed looking into.

Members of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) agreed at a meeting last week that police officers should not carry firearms when out on regular duties and backed the decision to make representations to the Chief Constable and other relevant bodies to help resolve the issue.

A report presented to the meeting referred to concerns about officers being armed on a regular basis, which it said may contribute to the public’s perception of heavy-handed policing when seen alongside the apparent increased use of stop-and-search tactics.

Fife Council leader David Ross, who attended the meeting on Friday, said, “I share the concerns expressed by COSLA about armed police officers being deployed routinely on regular duties.

"No-one wants to interfere with the operational independence of the police but the routine arming of police officers on Scottish streets is a policy matter that goes far beyond what I would view as a purely operational decision.

“I am pleased that COSLA has agreed to make representations to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing about this matter and to invite the Chief Constable to meet with council leaders to discuss the issue.

“I know Councillor Kenny Selbie, chair of Fife’s safer communities committee, has written to the Fife police commander, Chief Superintendent Gary McEwan, seeking information on the position in Fife and this is a matter that requires further scrutiny.”