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PARK LIFE

Officers hauled off the streets to man broken gate at Perth police station while they await repairs

Cops are being sent out in two-hour shifts to police the car park, only budging to let approved vehicles in

POLICE Scotland have been paying an officer to sit in a patrol car parked outside the front door of their divisional HQ 24 hours a day.

Force chiefs have made the bizarre move to have officers act as a human replacement for a broken parking barrier.

 Cop mans police station car park while barrier is repaired
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Cop mans police station car park while barrier is repaired

Officers have been withdrawn from other front line duties to sit in the parked patrol car day and night for more than a week.

The arrangement - described as “a ludicrous waste of taxpayers money” - is expected to continue for several more days until spare parts for the broken barrier turn up.

Officers are being sent out in two hour shifts and can be seen occasionally driving a few yards forward to let approved vehicles enter the car park to the rear of Perth police station.

The patrol car can then be seen backing into the same position in front of the broken barrier as the officer waits for another car to arrive.

Staff said the public had noticed a manned police car outside the divisional HQ and assumed the building was being given extra protection against a security threat.

However, when officers explained to concerned members of the public that the car was simply blocking the car park entrance they were met with disbelief.

A force insider said: “If you are wondering where all the police officers are, we know where one is at least because they are permanently in the car park outside.

“It is a ridiculous situation and one that looks like dragging on for a while yet because we have heard the spare part they need is not available yet.

“The barrier broke down at the start of the month and the bosses, in their wisdom, decided the best way to deal with it was to use officers as impromptu parking barriers.

“They are being sent out to go and sit outside the front door and edge slowly back and forth from time to time to let authorised cars and patrol vehicles into the yard.

 Perth station is having trouble with its entrance
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Perth station is having trouble with its entrance

“It is comical, but it is a drain on manpower at a time when we are pared to the bone as it is. People have been coming in off the street and asking what is going on.

“When we told them they described it as a ludicrous waste of taxpayers money and it would be hard to argue with that in all honesty.”

Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: “I hope that repairs can be completed as quickly as possible to avoid further resources being wasted.”

A spokesman for Police Scotland said it was not yet known when the barrier would be repaired.

“The gate developed a fault,” he admitted. “It’s been removed and we are awaiting repairs. To maintain the security of the building and parking area, we have to keep an officer on point until it’s repaired.

“Somebody has to be there 24 hours a day. It’s been like this for a little while. We are waiting on a repair but we don’t have a time on that yet.”

Senior officers at the same police station were left red-faced in 2013 when a thief climbed in and stole an inspector’s key before driving off in a stolen marked car.

David Mullen caused thousands of pounds worth of damage by smashing his way out of the police station car park before leading dozens of officers on a high speed 20-mile chase.

Police Scotland management were forced to carry out an extensive security review after Mullen was able to help himself to a high powered 25,000 pounds Mitsubishi Outlander.

He walked into the police station’s rear car park and clambered up a cell block before sneaking in a window and taking the keys which had been left lying out.

 Tory MP Murdo Fraser calls for urgent repairs to be carried out
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Tory MP Murdo Fraser calls for urgent repairs to be carried out

Mullen, 27, Scott Street, Perth, pressed the key to find out which car it belonged to and got into the Outlander which was fully marked in Police Scotland livery.

After ramming his way through the security barrier at Perth Police HQ, Mullen drove through several towns and villages at more than three times the speed limit.

As well as damaging two more police vehicles, Mullen hit speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour during the chase from Perth to New Alyth.

He ran several red lights and hit 70 mph on a single tyre after officers were forced to deploy a Stinger device to try and bring him to a halt.

Mullen accepted carrying out the acts but the Crown accepted his special defence that he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time and he was formally acquitted.

Sheriff Fiona Tait made a compulsion order for Mullen to be detained for medical treatment within the secure Faskally Ward at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth for six months.

In the wake of that incident, a spokesman for Police Scotland said: “It is not our policy to comment on matters regarding security of police buildings.”


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