Nwicker60
13-Jun-12, 08:47
Decrease in civilian staff numbers could be tip of iceberg
HIGHLANDS & Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant, who last week intimated her concern over the future of Police Civilian Staff roles in Northern Constabulary and Moray Division of Grampian Police, maintains that she is right to be concerned.
She points to figures released from the Scottish Government which reveal that there are 17 fewer civilians employed in Northern now than there was this time last year.
Mrs Grant said “ Last week I advised that I was working with my colleague David Stewart MSP and members from the local Branch of UNISON to try and make the case for the siting of a major function or Department of the new Force in the North or Moray. With the release of these figures today and given that Northern Constabulary only employs 316 Civilian Police Staff, the loss of 17 is maybe just the tip of the iceberg. I wonder who is carrying out the roles previously carried out by the 17 staff who are no longer with the Force? I am led to believe that already some Police Officers are being taken off front line duties to do back office jobs. If this is the case and continues to happen, then we are in danger of going back to a 1970’s type of Policing and engaging in a reversion of civilianisation”.
HIGHLANDS & Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant, who last week intimated her concern over the future of Police Civilian Staff roles in Northern Constabulary and Moray Division of Grampian Police, maintains that she is right to be concerned.
She points to figures released from the Scottish Government which reveal that there are 17 fewer civilians employed in Northern now than there was this time last year.
Mrs Grant said “ Last week I advised that I was working with my colleague David Stewart MSP and members from the local Branch of UNISON to try and make the case for the siting of a major function or Department of the new Force in the North or Moray. With the release of these figures today and given that Northern Constabulary only employs 316 Civilian Police Staff, the loss of 17 is maybe just the tip of the iceberg. I wonder who is carrying out the roles previously carried out by the 17 staff who are no longer with the Force? I am led to believe that already some Police Officers are being taken off front line duties to do back office jobs. If this is the case and continues to happen, then we are in danger of going back to a 1970’s type of Policing and engaging in a reversion of civilianisation”.