Dounreay bobbies face axe from front-line duties
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VETERAN nuclear police officers at Dounreay are in the firing line as they look like being shoe-horned into civilian jobs for turning down a call to arms.
A confidential source inside the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) claims that just under 20 long-serving officers based at the nuclear plant will be forced to join a private security firm and relinquish their status as officers of the law by the end of the year.
It means that between 15 to 20 non-authorised firearms officers – the majority of whom are over 50 and have previously carried weapons but have now been stopped due to medical reasons, personal choice or CNC policy – will be moved to manning desks and security gates as unarmed civilian guards.
The CNC claims this will allow existing firearms officers to focus on their "defend and protect" role.
The move has been blasted by the source inside the force who claims that a lack of communication has lead them to being left in the dark just months before the move is expected to take place.
"It’s just a shambles," the source told the Caithness Courier yesterday.
"For a supposedly disciplined police force, it’s just amazing what they are trying to do.
"Most of the people have in excess of 30 years of service and the majority of them are in their mid-50s.
"It’s a terrible way to be treating people.
"Of course it’s different times we’re living in with the terrorist threat but surely they still have a duty to these people who have given all this service."
Yesterday, a joint statement was released on behalf of site licence company, Dounreay Site Restoration Limited, and the CNC.
"DSRL and the CNC together review security and policing arrangements as part of continuous improvement to ensure they are robust and effective now and in the future," said the spokeswoman.
"These improvements include the establishment of a guard force in addition to the existing arrangements in place at Dounreay.
"The improvements ensure the CNC can continue to defend and protect the site, focusing on their core role of armed policing."
The spokeswoman added: "It would not be appropriate to discuss the details of these changes as this could compromise existing and future security arrangements."
The insider claims that it is due to a CNC recruitment drive and a move to get in line with firearm legislation and requirements – known as project New Dawn – that is causing the unarmed officers to be ostracised.
He said by the end of 2012, all CNC employees at Dounreay must be armed and will no longer be carrying out fixed point duties, although this could not be confirmed.
In 2005, CNC’s predecessors, the UK Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary, broke away to become essentially a stand-alone police force.
At the time, the officers were moved under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 legislation, which meant the employees kept the same terms and conditions despite having a new employer.
The pre-1997 contracts do not state officers have to carry firearms but indicate they may be required to, according to the informant.
"As far as we are aware, our own terms and conditions when we joined the UKAEA Constabulary still apply and it states that if a surplus of officers is identified, a remuneration package is available," said the source.
"Instead, we’re being pawned off to a civilian security firm which is unprecedented and has never happened in this country before."
The source said that many of the affected officers have increased worries that once the grace period is over at their new employers, they could find themselves subject to poorer terms and conditions – potentially jeopardising their pensions.
Due to the nature of the job, officers are not allowed to strike or join a trade union so they have little place left to turn for help.
Last week, CNC Superintendent Phil Bishop and the head of the CNC’s human resources department allegedly met with Babcock management, following which one of the CNC officers approached the group and had it confirmed that the TUPE route would be pursued despite the opposition.
With only four months until the expected changeover, the officers are still no further forward to knowing what their future holds for them.
"We’re not being properly informed," said the source.
"We’re just getting snippets and hearsay.
"It’s really quite worrying."
CNC is meanwhile in the midst of recruiting new armed officers to work at Dounreay.
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