Ports Unit
Stranraer is not only the second largest town in Dumfries and Galloway. It is also the second busiest port in the UK (after Dover) and is home to Special Branch Ports Unit of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary.
The unit was set up in 1972 and had responsibility for policing the port of Stranraer which, at that time provided a regular ferry service to Larne in Northern Ireland.
In 1973 a service between Cairnryan and Larne was introduced and in 1976 the unit was given the responsibility for policing all the ports in the force area.
There have been many changes at the ports in the intervening years and in 2008 the Ports Unit will be relocated to the newly merged super port planned for Cairnryan.
The unit has grown up alongside the ports and last year officers at Stranraer saw almost 1.9 million passengers cross their sights.
On top of their regular duties staff at the ports unit also take part in national schemes like the Project Reflex operation to tackle illegal immigration into the UK.
Project Reflex is a multi agency task force that deals with organised immigration crime. It was set up in May 2000 and brings a range of national agencies together to co-ordinate operations and to target the infrastructure that supports the criminals involved in this very serious crime.
It involves a number of agencies including police forces, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), the International Organised Immigration Crime Unit (IOI) and the UK Immigration Service (UKIS).
The project's three main aims are to identify and disrupt the large scale facilitation of illegal immigrants, human trafficking (especially women and children) and the criminal infrastructures that exploit the UK's illegal immigrant population.
The large numbers of illegal immigrants entering Britain at Stranraer has attracted the UK Immigration Service's attention and the service recently provided funding for a team of UKIS trained police officers for the ports unit. These officers will provide a more efficient and effective immigration service at the ports unit and have direct access to UKIS equipment and resources.
Border & Immigration
The UK Border Agency is responsible for securing borders and controlling migration in the United Kingdom:
