Police Chief Pat Shearer Raises Security Concerns Over Cuts Date: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 Source: BBC News

Dumfries and Galloway chief constable Pat Shearer said Britain's security would be compromised. About two million people pass through the Galloway ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan each year, with two in every 100 passengers being police checked. The agency said its work would now be concentrated in Northern Ireland. In a statement to BBC Scotland the border agency said: "The identification of any illegal immigrants using the Galloway ports will move to Northern Ireland where UK Border Agency staff will replicate the work that they are already doing at the airports in the province. "We have a more substantial resource there which is more conveniently located to service the ports." However, Mr Shearer said he was "at a loss" over the agency's decision to withdraw funding by the end of the year. He added that agency bosses had acknowledged the Galloway ports were an exit point for criminals and immigrants. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has also condemned the decision, saying it had been made without discussion. BBC News Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal