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View Full Version : Chief Constable of Scotland has stood down



golach
27-Aug-15, 11:50
Who next I wonder? The Justice Minister?

BetterTogether
27-Aug-15, 11:55
Overdue if nothing else !

cptdodger
27-Aug-15, 12:05
Who next I wonder? The Justice Minister?

It's still going to take him three months to "step down" though.

BetterTogether
27-Aug-15, 13:10
It will take them at least that long to find a suitable sycophant who is prepared to toe the party line and be a public whipping boy for Holyroods ineptitude !

tonkatojo
27-Aug-15, 15:14
It's still going to take him three months to "step down" though.

This should provide him with enough time to tidy his desk. ;)

Manxman
27-Aug-15, 16:52
Lets hope that he takes some of the others that he brought from the met with him
we need some one to put things right that he messed up

squidge
28-Aug-15, 08:22
Of course the introduction of a single police force was about saving money! There was never any attempt to dress it up as anything else. In the face of the need to make savings and cut costs, a number of police forces, all with their own admin services was a luxury that Scotland couldn't afford - particularly if we are to keep police officers on the ground. The decision to move the Transport Police into police Scotland is the same. It's about saving money which in today's economic climate we have to do.

It is right Stephen House resigns. He has shown an arrogance and a lack of understanding of the need for diverse methods of policing. The reports that have come out speak of an autocratic and inflexible personality and we have seen a bit if that in Highland with the persistence in sending out armed officers even after saying this would not happen. His behaviour when appearing in front of the Scottish Parliaments over stop and search also demonstrated this. His demands that a sheriff should not raise questions about the integrity of the force in public also raised questions about his own integrity. The failure to respond to the tragic incident which sparked this resignation and the loss of the two lives raised so many questions about the way Police Scotland is being run that I don't believe he had a choice.

However, there are still a thousand acts of kindness and bravery by our police officers every day. The crucial link between police Scotland and our communities through the Highland Council Community Panning Partnership is working it appears. Crime is down all over Highland according to the last report and the issue with armed officers has been resolved. The control room issue is a worry and our MSPs and councillors are working hard to ensure that we aren't disadvantaged but there is a worry that, if they can't find a car crashed on the motorway what chance do we have going in a ditch near Forsinard. That will have to be resolved.

The delay in Stephen House actually leaving is maybe a bit to do with the fact that there is a recruitment process ongoing for a Chairperson of the Scottish Police Authority. Like the rest of the board, the chairperson will be appointed by the Scottish Government as Rob Said, but actually they aren't involved in the recruitment process. If you google Public Appointments Scotland you will see the advert and can apply if you want to. The recruitment panel makes its decision and recommends to the Scottish Government who they should recruit and the Scottish Government simply appoints them - ratifying the decision of the panel.

The staff attitudes survey of Police Scotland is going to be interesting to read and will help the replacement for Stephen House to get a grip of what has been going on and how to change it. I don't think that's a bad thing.

cptdodger
28-Aug-15, 09:02
I said this from the start, the person responsible for this horrible tragedy, a Police Sergeant, who just did not, for whatever reason, pass the information regarding the accident on to the appropriate people, should be held responsible for his actions, or lack of them as it turned out. Unfortunately, for the Chief Constable, the buck stops with him, so he has to go.

As I said on another thread an enquiry must be held for the sake of the families. If it is found that this happened because of the changes made due to all the Police Forces in Scotland becoming one force, then it is right he should resign. It was'nt the case they could'nt find the car on the motorway, they did'nt know to look on the motorway, the information was just not passed on.

squidge
28-Aug-15, 09:13
I said this from the start, the person responsible for this horrible tragedy, a Police Sergeant, who just did not, for whatever reason, pass the information regarding the accident on to the appropriate people, should be held responsible for his actions, or lack of them as it turned out. Unfortunately, for the Chief Constable, the buck stops with him, so he has to go.As I said on another thread an enquiry must be held for the sake of the families. If it is found that this happened because of the changes made due to all the Police Forces in Scotland becoming one force, then it is right he should resign. It was'nt the case they could'nt find the car on the motorway, they did'nt know to look on the motorway, the information was just not passed on.

There are two inquiries happening. One is by the Police investigation and review commissioner and will look at the specific incident and I expect instigate any disciplinary procedures against individual officers where necessary. The other is into the call handling procedures to identify any systemic failures and make recommendations about improvements. Those were both announced in June and are currently underway.

cptdodger
28-Aug-15, 09:23
There are two inquiries happening. One is by the Police investigation and review commissioner and will look at the specific incident and I expect instigate any disciplinary procedures against individual officers where necessary. The other is into the call handling procedures to identify any systemic failures and make recommendations about improvements. Those were both announced in June and are currently underway.

That's good then, I honestly must have missed that. After what both families went through I hope they get some sort of closure from this.