Police morale low over merger

Morale within the British Transport Police (BTP) is low as a result of “uncertainty” caused by the forthcoming merger with Police Scotland, a new report has revealed.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) called for issues over the impact the amalgamation would have on staff and officers’ terms and conditions to be resolved at the “earliest opportunity”.

The police inspector’s latest overview of the BTP also warned the “scope and scale of the challenges and complexity posed by the transfer should not be underestimated”.

Derek Penman, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said: “It is not a merger of one complete organisation with another, but the partial extraction of a function from one organisation and its integration into another organisation.”

He added: “BTP is a police service paid for entirely by the rail industry and which has an ethos and commercial awareness that is quite distinct from other police forces.”

Legislation to merge transport policing with the national force in 2019 was approved by MSPs in June, despite opposition from the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats at Holyrood, and the RMT union, who fear the move will reduce safety on the railways.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Integration will ensure seamless access to wider support facilities and specialist resources, providing an enhanced service to the rail industry and travelling public.

“Pay and pensions of BTP officers and staff will be protected.”

BTP and Police Scotland will merge in 2019.