“Genuinely challenging” weeks of snow and ice haven’t stopped the Civil Nuclear Constabulary from keeping Scotland’s nuclear and gas sites protected. Chief Constable Simon Chesterman praised officers for delivering “vital policing services” with “real determination” as teams stayed on duty through prolonged severe weather across Dounreay, St Fergus, Garlogie and Torness, in an update published on Friday 9 January. ([gov.uk](Link

In Caithness, drifting snow closed in around Dounreay. Officers and staff cleared routes, kept training areas usable and, where needed, extended shifts so coverage didn’t drop. Planning on site put welfare and safety first to maintain standards while operations continued. Dounreay also hosts an Operational Policing Unit and a dedicated firearms training facility, underscoring the need to keep access open even in whiteout conditions. ([gov.uk](Link

Further east, teams at St Fergus and nearby Garlogie used specialist vehicles to maintain patrols, checked in on isolated neighbours and ran supplies to households unable to get out during the worst of the weather. Quiet acts of help sat alongside routine armed duties, keeping a visible presence in hard-to-reach communities. ([gov.uk](Link

At Torness the weather was kinder, but officers stayed on standby with kit ready should forecasts worsen. With more unsettled conditions signalled for the weekend, the constabulary says it is monitoring closely and keeping plans live to ensure services remain uninterrupted. ([gov.uk](Link

Those forecasts are serious. The Met Office issued a fresh Amber warning for heavy snow in parts of eastern and central Scotland from 03:00 to 14:00 on Sunday 11 January, alongside wider Yellow warnings reaching into northern England. That combination means further disruption is likely on roads and rails already stretched by a week of wintry conditions. ([metoffice.gov.uk](Link

Why it matters on our side of the border: the CNC also protects Sellafield in Cumbria, and sites at Heysham in Lancashire and Hartlepool on Teesside-working with local Home Office forces to secure high‑hazard locations. The force employs more than 1,800 officers and staff across England and Scotland, and its winter planning is built to keep coverage steady when the weather turns. ([gov.uk](Link

The North has felt the bite too. Temperatures fell to -10.9°C at Shap earlier in the week, with snow and ice warnings fanning out across much of northern England. With fresh bands of sleet and snow expected to brush the Pennines, communities near key energy infrastructure will be watching forecasts and local updates closely. ([metoffice.gov.uk](Link

As Chesterman put it, people across the constabulary have “gone above and beyond”-covering longer hours, supporting colleagues hit by travel problems and pitching in for local residents when needed. The message to communities from Caithness to Cumbria is clear: policing stayed uninterrupted, and plans are in place as winter weather rolls on. ([gov.uk](Link