‘Challenging time,’ for policing says top cop
SCOTLAND’S acting chief constable has put professional standards right at the heart of a shaken-up leadership team in a clear signal of intent.
Iain Livingstone was looked over as chief just over a year ago and had announced his retirement this summer.
But with his boss on special leave amid bullying allegations and one of its assistants suspended, the current deputy chief constable has refocused and reshaped management at Police Scotland.
Mr Livingstone yesterday sought and received permission from his ruling civilian board, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), to appoint two temporary assistant chief constables or ACCs
One of those ACCs, Alan Speirs, will take over a new command created by Mr Livingstone to focus on Professional Standards and data protection.
These are the very areas where Police Scotland has run in to its biggest controversies, including the suspension of ACC Bernie Higgins on Friday.
Mr Higgins has been accused of a variety of violations, including failing to investigate the alleged theft of a bag and discharging a gun without proper qualifications to do so. Both inci- dents came at the police firing range at Jackton in South Lanarkshire. No wrongdoing has been admitted by any of the officers under investigation.
Mr Livingstone told the SPA: “This is clearly a challenging time for policing in Scotland and my focus continues to be on meeting the operational and organisational challenges we face, and providing the leadership of policing that the people of Scotland rightly expect.
“I remain in charge of day-today policing, strongly supported by my colleagues in the Force Executive, together with the command teams in every part of Local Policing in Scotland, as well as specialist national departments
“I have absolute confidence in the leadership provided by all the officers and staff that serve in Police Scotland, and the qualities, skills and experience that we collectively possess.”
Lawyer and police critic Aamer Anwar, however, said events at Police Scotland were starting to “smell like a conspiracy”.
He added: “The decision of SPA to suspend an ACC who up until now had an unblemished career for nearly 30 years begs the question why.
“I wonder who is next on the anonymous target list? As one of the harshest critics of the police, I believed the devastation must stop.”