My police shake-up plan wasn’t stupid two years ago. And it’s not stupid now
Ex-watchdog member says new report backs up her call for reform
Gordon Blackstock A former police watchdog member claims she was branded “stupid” by senior officers when she called for reforms now recommended in an independent report.
Moi Ali quit the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) in 2017 after she objected to plans to hold its board meetings in private.
The next year, she was labelled an attention- seeker when she said investigations into staff ’s conduct should continue if they quit or resign.
Now, a report by former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini has called for the same action to be taken following her review on how Police Scotland handles complaints over its conduct.
Angiolini ’ s report raised concerns over investigations into deaths in police custody and the treatment of ethnic minority, female and gay recruits.
Ali, who left the SPA amid claims she was bullied out of her position, hopes Angiolini ’s verdict will force Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf to make changes.
She said: “There are big problems with transparency in how police handle complaints in Scotland.
“Misconduct claims against officers simply disappear when an off icer leaves, either via resignation or retirement.
“Innocent officers would stick around to defend their names; guilty officers can basically walk away and stop the misconduct process – and they do. That is not the case in England or Wales.
“A member of the public can go to see disciplinary hearings against doctors, nurses or solicitors – but not police officers.
“These things are all done behind closed doors and that lack of transparency is a hindrance to confidence people have in policing.”
Ali added: “It will be interesting to see what happens with Elish Angiolini’s recommendations.
“When I said something broadly similar two years ago, I was attacked as stupid and accused of trying to raise my profile.
“Elish Angiolini ’ s words carry a lot more weight than mine but I would like to see these recommendations implemented by the Justice Secretary as soon as possible.”
Angiolini’s 490- page report was commissioned after Sheku Bayoh died whilst under arrest in Kirkcaldy in 2015.
She made 81 recommendations, including investigations into deaths in custody being treated with the same urgency as murder inquiries. She also found there was more transparency by author i t ie s in England a n d Wa l e s towards police complaints.
Ali, who sits on the Ministry of Defence Police Committee, said former president of the As s o c i a t ion of Scot t i sh Police Superintendents Niven Rennie and the Scottish Police Federation’s Calum Steele were among her critics.
She claims Rennie labelled her comments “stupidity of the first degree” in a post which he has since deleted from Twitter. Rennie is now the director of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU). Posting on Twitter in 2018, before he joined the SVRU, Niven accused Ali of “score settling” and trying to raise her profile. Replying to Rennie, Steele posted: “There were varying levels of disinterest amongst some board members – most notably those presenting themselves as paragons of virtue now.”
Ali said: “I’ve been the subject of petty, nasty and sometimes personal attacks for calling for a better policing system. I was told I was displaying ‘stupidity of the first degree’ in my suggestions.
“I’m not anti- police. I’m pro-police but just want it to become more transparent.”
Angiolini’s report said if Police Scotland’s own professional standards department – which investigates complaints against off icers – fai ls to improve confidence in the system then all complaints should be directed to the Pol ice Investigations & Review Commissioner (Pirc).
The SPA was launched in 2012 to oversee Police Scotland.
Steele refused to comment on Ali’s claims but said: “Transparency is a matter of perception.
“The public can have whatever misconduct system it is willing to pay for. That will not change the fact that there will always be those who will never be satisfied by the outcome of any police misconduct system.”
Rennie said: “I never personally attacked Moi Ali and have no axe to grind with her.
“I simply offered my opinion on what she was saying.”
Pol ice Scot l and Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “Dame Elish’s recommendations are wide- ranging and their implications now require careful consideration.”