Almost half unhappy with police response

Almost half of those who contact the police in Tayside and Fife were dissatisfied with the response, according to a survey by the force.

The “Your View Counts” scheme was unveiled yesterday.

Of the respondents in Fife who had contacted the single service 48% were unhappy at the response they received. That figure was 46.2% in Tayside.

Residents in both areas put anti-social behaviour at the top of their agenda for policing.

The threat of terrorism is the biggest worry at a national level, the survey of more than 10,000 Scots showed.

Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrats’ justice spokesman, said: “Looking at these figures it is hard to escape the conclusion that police centralisation has made it more difficult for officers and staff to build links with the communities they serve.”

Assistant Chief Constable Kate Thomson, who launched the Polish language version of the survey in Dundee earlier this month, said: “I am delighted with the response we have received so far.

“It is only by having this direct feedback from communities that we are able to assess the aspirations of the communities we serve.”