Up to 40 additional police officers will be available in the Borders under the new single force, according to the region’s chief.
Chief Superintendent Jeanette McDiarmid officially took up her post as commander for the Lothians and Borders on Monday as Police Scotland was launched.
And she says all staff who currently serve behind a desk, including senior figures, will now be required to spend time on the beat as part of the area’s Campaign Against Violence.
Chief Supt McDiarmid said: “If someone is in an eight-to-four office-based position then for 12 days of the year they need to be out on the streets.
“That is for everyone in our division and that also includes those at headquarters of Police Scotland.
“It means we could have 40 additional officers on the streets of the Borders to deal with a particular problem.”
The new local structure within the national force sees Chief Supt McDiarmid assisted by two superintendents, Graham Jones and former G Division commander Andrew Allan, who will all be based in Dalkeith, alongside a detective superintendent responsible for the CID unit.
Below that, Chief Inspector Andy Clark will be the local area commander, assisted by three community inspectors.
All three inspectors have specific local policing plans shaped around the priorities of each district, generally anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and violence, as well as road safety.
Chief Supt McDiarmid told us: “The number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads in the Borders is horrendous.
“We are listening to the public who are concerned about speeding in towns and villages and as a result we have got officers trained to be using speed cameras, whereas previously it was only road officers.”
More access to specialist resources and greater local accountability are two other benefits of the single force introduction, according to the police chief.
She said: “I have a policing plan for the Borders and I will be accountable to the people here through regular meetings with the local authority.
“Previously the local CID dealt with murder and were tied up, but now we have access to dedicated units which we never had before.
“It means local officers can deal with local problems. Obviously they will still link with the specialist detectives so that anything that is affecting the community they will be aware of.”