REVELLERS have been urged to “think before they act” by a top cop ahead of TRNSMT Festival’s return to the city this weekend.
Police Scotland’s Superintendent Emma Croft has issued fresh warnings to gig-goers who are set to descend on Glasgow Green from Friday.
Superintendent Croft, who is the silver commander of the public event, told how ‘Operation TRNSMT’ will aim to support DF Concerts, which organised the three-day festival.
She told the Glasgow Times: “We’re really pleased that it’s back in town and we’ve been working very closely with the event organiser, as you can imagine, after the last 18 months that we’ve been off events.
“To us, it’s very much about that supporting act. We’re very much there to provide that visible presence to the event, to the staff at the event and more importantly to the customers at the event.
“But we’ve got a duty to do as well.”
TRNSMT returns for the first time in more than two years this weekend, with up to 50,000 music fans set to be in attendance each day.
Manchester rockers The Courteeners will take to the main stage on Friday, former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher will headline on Saturday and electronic duo The Chemical Brothers will close the event on Sunday night.
READ MORE: First look around this year's TRNSMT festival site at Glasgow Green
Superintendent Croft explained that the level of police presence will vary over the three-day festival.
The exact figure will be a combination of the officers who will be inside the concert venue and those who are required to work out in the community.
She said: “It’ll vary between about 40 to 50 officers. Those officers will be able to do both roles and they will also be able to flex across the city of Glasgow.
“This might be a local event to Glasgow Green, but it impacts across the whole city.”
Specialist resources will be working at the event, including Police Scotland’s mounted unit and dog unit.
There will also be uniformed and plain-clothed officers used in the operation, which will be extended out of the festival area and into the local community.
Superintendent Croft said: “There will be a variety of officers involved, including conventional officers who will carry out the visibility duties.
“We’ve also got licensing officers in the event arena who will be checking in with the bars and supporting the licensing aspect.
“There are mounted officers, so you’ll see them on horses in and around the event area – the gates in particular. We’ve got search officers at the gates who will be supporting that.”
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the Covid rules at TRNSMT 2021
The policing operation for the popular festival will be huge, with thousands of revellers expected to descend on Glasgow Green for the event, running from 11am to 11pm each day.
An events room in Govan Police Station will oversee the entire policing operation for TRNSMT.
A zero-tolerance approach will be taken to those who try to take drugs into the event, with sniffer dogs on hand at the entrances to catch revellers who have illegals in their possession.
Superintendent Croft said: “This event is very much to be enjoyed for what it is – for its music and everyone getting the opportunity to gather together.
“It’s the first time in Scotland that we’ve run such an event in the last two years. Drugs in any quantity can be extremely dangerous, we know that.
“My advice would be absolutely do not decide to take drugs in with you. We have an enhanced search that would prevent you from coming in, in the first place.
“Think about your time here and how much you could ruin it.”
READ MORE: Here's what you CAN'T take into TRNSMT 2021
Pyrotechnics are often used at TRNSMT and those who are intent on setting off flares within the crowd have been given a stern warning by the top cop.
She said: “Public safety is the primary role for Police Scotland at this event. My advice, as it would be for any stadia in any type of event where there is a large amount of people, do not use flares.
“They are an unknown, in terms of the damage that they can do, and we’ve widely seen that with injuries that can be caused to yourself and others.
“I don’t think the artists would appreciate it and certainly we don’t know the damage that they can do – so please don’t.
Superintendent Croft told how DF Concerts has “worked hard with local communities” and has given them a lot of opportunities to air their views and concerns ahead of the gig.
She said: “We’ve worked alongside the event organiser; we’ve attended community meetings and we have a local policing presence who are building up to this event.
“If you have an issue at the time, contact police in the usual way and we will follow that up. We are also working with the event organiser to address those issues with our external officers.
The key message from Superintendent Croft to this year’s revellers is to “think before you act”.
She said: “Really, really take the opportunity to enjoy this. We are so pleased it’s back and it’s been put together in a very safe and assured way.
“Please do not ruin it for yourself or others – take it for what it is. Enjoy it.”
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