SCOTLAND’S EXISTING eight police forces are to be merged into a single body, following first minister Alex Salmond’s decision to go ahead with the plan in the face of opposition from some senior officers and the rank and file.
Once implemented, the face of policing in Scotland will look radically different to England and Wales, where control will remain vested in the hands of 43 individual forces, some of whom have less than 1,000 officers.
Mr Salmond’s decision was taken even though nine-in-10 people and organisations who took part in consultation opposed the move – including all bar one of Scotland’s eight senior police officers, the Scottish Police Federation and local authorities. Despite the past opposition, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Chief Constable Kevin Smith said “the debate” is now over: “We are now firmly behind that decision and it is our responsibility, our duty, along with Scottish government, to make this work.”
Setting out public service reforms in his list of legislative targets for the next year, Mr Salmond declared: “Communities don’t care about boundaries, they want services to work together as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
Addressing Scottish MSPs in Holyrood, he said the merger of the police forces, but also of fire brigade services, is the only way to maintain the number of officers in every community, in Scotland.
“It will sustain and improve the delivery of local services, while giving all parts of Scotland access to national expertise and assets whenever and wherever they are needed and guarantee independence from political interference.”
Last month, Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill warned rank-and-file officers and local councillors, who will lose their current influence, that the alternative to major reform would be to “jettison” officers and cut pay, pensions and conditions.
Months of work lie ahead to prepare the detailed legislation, but the Scottish National Party, which rules with a majority in Holyrood, will have to overcome doubts that the changes could make political interference worse, not better.
Reflecting the reluctant acquiescence of many Scottish police to Mr Salmond’s move, the Northern Constabulary’s Chief Constable, George Graham said a single force was not the preferred model of many stakeholders.
“Now that a decision has been made, we must accept that decision, welcome the clarity it brings and move forward, embracing the opportunities together with the inevitable challenges,” he said, though he sought guarantees that the reforms would not impact on community policing.
