COP OUT
Lots of noise but we’re no closer to resolving chief constable crisis
SCOTLAND’S police force were dragged further into crisis last night in a damaging row involving the Government and top officers.
In Holyrood, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson was forced to defend a decision to step in and confront shambolic behaviour at the Scottish Police Authority.
It emerged that the watchdogs had tried to bring chief constable Phil Gormley back to work while misconduct allegations against him were being probed. But SPA members failed to tell Matheson, the Independent Police Investigations Review Commissioner or stand-in chief Iain Livingston.
The organisation also admitted they hadn’t considered the impact on any staff who might be involved in the probe against Gormley, on special leave since September.
Opposition parties blasted Matheson for the way he has handled the situation, while he insisted he had no choice but to intervene when he learned the SPA were lining Gormley up for a return to work last November. On November 9, ex-SPA chairman Andrew Flanagan, who has since quit, asked for a meeting where he said Gormley would start the following day. It emerged a decision had been taken in private two days earlier without key figures being told. Matheson said: “I took the view that these clear deficiencies in the process were completely unacceptable.” Labour’s Daniel Johnson said: “Policing in Scotland is in crisis, a crisis centred around governance, leadership and investigations into senior officers. “The actions of the Justice Secretary have further enhanced this crisis. His intervention has effectively overturned an operational decision about the employment status of the chief constable, and by doing so he has embroiled himself in the shambles.” The SPA said issues relating to the chief constable “remain live and ongoing” and insisted they are taking action to strengthen their “governance, advice and engagement”.