Recent events have shown the folly of a single police force
PRIOR to the creation of Police Scotland I wrote several letters to The Herald in which I expressed serious concerns about the formation of a national police service and that we as a nation were sleep walking into a situation that was not in our best interests. I suggested the concept was fraught with difficulties and a recipe for social and administrative chaos. In less than two years of its existence this would appear to be the case.
I also appealed, in person, to my local MSP and to the then Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to seriously think again about the proposal for a National Police Service. As I indicated, while Scotland is a relatively small country its communities are, nevertheless, so diverse that a one-size- fits-all police service would never be successful.
We currently have the unedifying spectacle of the political hounds hunting down the man they appointed to do this impossible task (policing (“Sir Stephen: Stop and search has not hurt police reputation”, The Herald, February 20).
I have never met Sir. Stephen House. I cannot comment on his professional ability. He probably has made mistakes in the initial stages in the life of Police Scotland – I would argue that whoever was appointed to this post was destined to make mistakes. No human being is infallible and provided he is acting in good faith he should be allowed to continue in his post subject to the usual scrutiny but without insidious political interference.
Those who think they know – and who think big is the panacea for all ills – compare Police Scotland with the Metropolitan Police. That is akin to comparing a lion with a tiger – there are similarities, but they are quite different creatures.
Do politicians never learn or ever listen? The only way forward is to abandon Police Scotland and to return sooner rather than later to a regional police set up where the needs and expectations of all communities are paramount.
I am genuinely sorry for Sir Stephen as the head of such an ill-designed and ill-conceived organisation. I have no way of knowing, but if I were a betting man I would wager the introduction of Police Scotland has not saved the taxpayer anything like the amounts that were predicted and in all probability is costing us money. Dan Edgar, Toward View, 31 Ardbeg Road, Rothesay. I WAS amused to read Sir Stephen House’s reply of “I try my best” when being questioned by MSP John Finnie of Holyrood’s sub-committee on policing.
It reminded me of the managing director of an advertising agency in which I worked who, on hearing I try my best” from one of my colleagues, was swift with the rejoinder “that’s what worries me”. David Will, 24 Cauldstream Place, Milngavie.