Border Telegraph | News | Town's rent-a-cop for New Year

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Wednesday, 22nd November, 2006 16:16

Town's rent-a-cop for New Year

By Border Telegraph Newsroom

WORRIED party organisers in Melrose are willing to foot the bill by renting a cop for Hogmany.

New Year festivities in the Market Square have grown in recent years with a large fireworks display following the bells.

But last December 31, Melrose’s two patrolling policemen were called away to a disturbance in another town.

And in the lead-up to Auld Lang Syne tempers frayed as traffic, including a bus, attempted to pass through the crowded town centre.

Now community council members and local traders are investigating the possibility of employing two uniformed officers to direct traffic and hold back the crowds.

Provost William Windram said: “This is purely a safety measure.

“The way traffic passes through the centre of Melrose makes it unsafe when there is a crowd congregating.

“We don’t know how much it would cost or even if it is possible at New Year, but renting policemen is something we are considering.”

New Year celebrations in Melrose have grown since fireworks display was started in 2000.

And now more than 1,000 revellers pack into the town centre each year.

Local councillor Bill Smith told the Border Telegraph: “The fireworks display has grown significantly since it first began and there are a lot of people in the Market Square.

“There are a few loose ends needing tied up to make it all run a bit smoother – and part of that is to look at having a constant police presence. It is one of the busiest nights of the year.”

The community leaders are looking at leasing two PCs for three or four hours around midnight.

Cop-hire doesn’t come cheap – although the boys in blue don’t qualify for public holiday rates until 7 a.m. on New Year’s morning.

Charlie Common, divisional commander of Lothian and Borders Police, told us: “If we receive a request for to employ our officers it will be considered.

“We do have maximum resources on the streets over Hogmany, but on occasion we have to redeploy those resources from one location to another. Officers will be in Melrose pending any other duties that may occur.”

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