Give police good old discretion in dealing with law and order

IN 1970-1 I researched an academic paper on the relationship between social workers and police in Edinburgh's Craigmillar and other areas of social deprivation. The Social Work Scotland Act 1968 had changed the professional involvement of social workers and they were conscious of their new found status. The Act, however, meant the end of "social work" being done by voluntary organisations and some volunteers. Almoners were replaced by the new breed of social workers in hospitals.

On the ground, it meant that the police felt threatened. Social workers seemed to have the upper hand over the agents of law and order. They mocked things such as the Police Boot and Shoe Fund that existed to help unshod bairns.

Relationships in the 1970s were not good.

During the study I stumbled on police discretion. It was never formally admitted, but it was evident to see as I went out in the then newish panda cars, and walked the beat with the constables. Discretion meant deals done at the interface of crime, detection and reporting. A constable would not charge a mother who had left her children in the house alone to go up to the High Street to pay bail money. A detective would do a "deal" with a criminal for information about crime committed in the area. A local constable would report a lad or lass to their parents, and ask them to deal with what we would call "anti-social behaviour" today.

In the past 30 years there has been radical change in the law, and the defence of individual rights. Police discretion has been one of the victims. Paperwork, charging, fingerprinting has taken over.

So if a teenager breaks a shop window, the police have no discretion - they charge.

In the past they may have involved the shopkeeper to assist in a reparation process without going to court.

The demise of police discretion means that society gets a force that only administers the law, and is "boxed in" to a role it sometimes finds difficult and unpopular to fulfil.

As a young athlete I ran at the police sports - a great event which raised lots of money for Edinburgh charities.

I attended the police show in the Usher Hall, which was one of the best variety shows in town.

I was proud that the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band were world champions.

It is impossible to turn back the clock. Police discretion may be the casualty of too much legislation on individual rights.

As a Liberal Democrat, individual freedom is the keystone of our political philosophy, but it has to be linked to social responsibility.

As a local councillor, listening to endless complaints about young people congregating and annoying elderly people, I wish that we would allow the police to exercise more discretion; and in so doing to create better and safer communities.

• Councillor Rev Dr George Grubb is the Liberal Democrat group chairman on Edinburgh council.