COPS SHOULDN’T DEAL WITH MINOR CRIMES
..and MacAskill says force are too stretched to be stewards at major events
POLICE should no longer respond to some minor crimes or steward major public events, former SNP justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has said.
The veteran politician, in government from 2007 to 2014, said officers on the national force he helped set up are now “run ragged” dealing with minor matters others could take care of.
MacAskill’s suggestions were blanked by the Scottish Government last night and opposition parties said he should have fixed problems when he was in charge.
The former MSP also risked a backlash from NHS workers when he said it’s time for the health service to “step up to the plate” on mental health issues which “drain” police resources.
Writing in a newspaper, MacAskill said: “The days of Dixon of Dock Green, when a police officer would provide an escort for the weekly wage bill, are long gone.
“These new pressures mean that some things can no longer be provided.
“The priority has to be keeping people safe and investigating serious crime.”
He said attending minor incidents of vandalism can’t be justified, adding:. “An email acknowledgement for the insurance company will have to suffice.”
Stewarding and cyber crime will also have to give way, MacAskill predicted.
He said: “As crime goes virtual, protecting yourself from it is more important than reporting it to police once it has happened. Mental health remains the biggest drain on police resources, yet officers aren’t trained for it.
“Why is it for the police to calm a distressed individual? The NHS have to step up to the mark except when there’s a threat to safety.”
Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “This is deeply embarrassing for the SNP.
“The Nationalists’ longest serving justice minister believes that the police force are not receiving the resources they need from the SNP Government.
“So much so, he appears to be telling us to no longer expect officers to deal with crimes he deems ‘minor.’”
Tory spokesman Liam Kerr added: “MacAskill’s suggestions will not make people feel safer, nor deter criminals.”
A Government spokesman said police numbers were “substantially” up on 10 years ago and operational capacity would rise with the “right mix” of staff and officers.
The priority must be keeping people safe and probing serious crime KENNY MacASKILL