Police fly in the face of devolution

IT IS truly alarming to read some of the comments from officers in the east of Scotland complaining about Police Scotland (News, 27 July).

Of course, the immediate concern is the appearance of guns on our streets. (Have we forgotten so quickly how Scotland became a beacon to the world in outlawing handguns in the wake of Thomas Hamilton and Dunblane?)

But we should also reflect on what the creation of the ­unitary police force says 
about devolution and independence.

The creation of Police Scotland seems to me to fly in the face of the whole concept of devolution in which, wherever possible, political and administrative decisions are made with regard to local conditions.

To add to the unease is the row over the Scottish Government’s attempt to remove the necessity for corroboration in trials to ease the way for the state – in other words the police – to secure more convictions. I don’t remember either of these developments being part of the SNP’s manifesto for government.

Irene Soames, via email