SNP back case for a single Scottish force

A SINGLE national police force is to be created in Scotland amid claims that the Scottish Government is "hell-bent" on ignoring public opinion on the issue.

The proposals will be at the heart of the SNP government's legislative programme later this year and comes despite overwhelming opposition to the idea in a recent consultation.

The biggest overhaul of the service in a generation would see the current set-up of eight Scottish forces merged into one.

The proposal has split senior force figures in Scotland, with Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House among its most high profile backers, while the heads of the Grampian and Dumfries and Galloway both describing it as a "step too far".

The move would provide major financial savings at a time of swingeing Budget cuts, but SNP ministers are confident it will not lead to a fall in frontline police numbers.

A spokesman said: "This government has delivered 1,000 additional officers to make our communities safer - helping drive crime to a 32-year low in Scotland - and our priority is to protect that strong frontline police presence.

"It is precisely because of those 1,000 additional officers that Scotland's police forces were able to deploy officers to help their English counterparts at short notice last week, for example, and we are committed to maintaining those numbers, despite budget cuts from Westminster.

"That is why we are looking at reform, as reorganisation is needed to make sure those officer numbers are protected."

Scottish Police Budgets are expected to drop by about 1.7 billion over the next 15 years.

It is believed that a single force would cost about 207 million to deliver over five years, but save 390m. It would mean redundancy payouts of about 80m in the first five years, then a lowering of wages by up to 66m annually.

Labour and the Conservatives both support a single police force but the Liberal Democrats remain opposed.

Labour justice spokeswoman Johann Lamont said that the party had "led the way" in being the first to call a single force.

"We believe it can ensure the best possible policing structure for Scotland," she said.

But a single force was supported by just one in ten respondents to a Government consultation held on the issue this year. Most support was for the status quo of eight forces, while a switch to three big regional forces also proved more popular than the single proposal.

The SNP provided 1,000 extra police officers during its first term in office and has pledged to maintain those numbers in the years ahead after victory in May's election.

There are currently about 17,260 police officers in Scotland and nearly 7,500 support staff.

But Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, a long-term opponent of the proposals, hit out at the looming merger.

"Justice minister Kenny Mac-Askill seems hell-bent on ignoring the mass of informed public opinion on the single police force," he said. "Clear evidence shows this plan will cost money, not save money, it risks losing officers and it will give the justice secretary absolute control over the police, which is a dangerous step."

Mr Rennie also pointed out at the weekend that a single force will be unable to call on a second Scottish force to investigate complaints against senor police officers. He warned this might mean English police forces were called in to undertake investigations in Scotland.

"The force would have to investigate itself," he said. "Public confidence will be at risk. This cannot be what the SNP had intended to happen. They should think again about their plans."

Pat Watters, president of the local government body Cosla, insisted that the move would diminish the accountability of police through the current set-up of police boards.

He said: "Scotland has a good and improving record. Are we prepared to risk it by creating a new superquango with no genuine local accountability?

"What we haven't isn't perfect, but as communities are increasingly expected to deal with anti-social behaviour, the local relationship continues to be crucial."

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