Auditor claims police watchdog is inadequate

The independent watchdog responsible for holding the police to account has failed to fulfil it’s responsibilities, Audit Scotland has warned.

The body which monitors public spending has been scathing over it’s evaluation of the performance of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) since the creation of Police Scotland five years ago.

Audit Scotland says the Spahas “struggled to establish and assert its authority over Police Scotland” and has not fully held the force’s chief constables to account. Writing to a Holyrood inquiry into how the single police force is doing, Audit Scotland said: “The SPA struggled to establish and assert its authority over Police Scotland and hold the chief constable to account for policing in Scotland. There has been insufficient respect given to the SPA and its role and status by Police Scotland.”