Video reveals police station suffering deluge
Highland Perthshire police officers have been forced to fight rainwater flooding into one of its stations, as revealed in a video released by the Scottish Police Federation (SPF).
The video, released last week, shows rainwater leaking into Pitlochry Police Station through crumbling window frames with evidence bags taped over plug sockets.
The Scottish Police
Federation (SPF), which represents rank-and-file officers, released the video after saying they feel the current police estate is falling apart, with one assistant chief constable blaming“a historic lack of investment.”
It came as Police Scotland chief constable Iain Livingston told a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) meeting on Friday the force’s budget is“derisory”and highlighted the potential impact of continuing budget cuts.
He said:“We’ve come so far with our ability to make do and mend.
“Our capital budget is derisory for the size of organisation that we’ve got.
“We have come so far with officers and staff and come so far with workarounds.”
Assistant chief constable John Hawkins, from Police Scotland, said the Pitlochry station was one of a number of buildings that is in a poor condition.
He said:“We inherited a policing estate which had been built up over the course of several decades and which has suffered from a historic lack of investment.
“Some buildings are no longer in the right place, operationally fit for purpose or designed in a way which allows us to work alongside key partners.
“I am grateful to officers and staff who continue to work tirelessly in challenging conditions and am committed to finding solutions that improve the environment from which we operate.”
It follows a similar video showing a leaking roof in a police building in Paisley.
SPF vice-chairman David Hamilton added that a quarter of buildings in use by Police Scotland are in a“poor condition”, while nearly two thirds of police buildings are more than 40 years old.
The SPF has long has concerns over police cuts, last October saying it feared Scotland will lose up to 1000 officers in 2020.