Authority without authority
Auditors say Police Scotland watchdog has been toothless
THE independent watchdog meant to hold the police to account has failed to do so, Audit Scotland has warned.
The body which monitors public spending has issued a damning verdict on the performance of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) since the creation of Police Scotland five years ago.
Audit Scotland says the SPA has “struggled to establish and assert its authority over Police Scotland” and has also not fully held the force’s chief constables to account.
Equally, Police Scotland has failed to properly respect the SPA, claims Audit Scotland.
The SPA has been besieged by scandals and rows with the force since its creation in 2013 but claims it has turned the corner under new chairwoman Susan Deacon.
Writing to a Holyrood inquiry into how the single police force is doing, Audit Scotland said: “The early history of the SPA and Police Scotland was characterised by disputes over responsibilities
“In our view, the SPA has struggled to establish and assert its authority over Police Scotland and fully hold the chief constable to account for policing in Scotland. At the same time, there has been insufficient respect and recognition given to the SPA and its role and status by Police Scotland.
“These issues have been compounded by a high level of turnover in the membership of the SPA.”
Audit Scotland also points out much of the vision for how the force will be operating a decade from now is reliant on IT systems which Police Scotland does not have in place.
The force abandoned a £ 46m IT upgrade, which was meant to deliver £200m savings, and Audit Scotland said this and the need for more investment represents a “significant risk for the realisation of the vision”.
Scottish Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “Audit Scotland’s assessment of the turmoil is spot on. The whole system of checks and balances is broken.
“SNP Ministers must face up to the mess they’ve made and accept we need an independent expert commission to examine the structures that govern Scottish policing.”
Vic Emery, the first chairman of the SPA, resigned after a power struggle with then-chief constable Sir Stephen House, and his replacement Andrew Flanagan was criticised for the “Kremlin-like” way he ran the SPA.
His replacement, John Foley, took early retirement amid a row over pay-offs he authorised for SPA staff and giving the green light to pay the tax due on a £67,000 relocation package to a senior officer.
The SPA declined to respond to Audit Scotland’s submission to the inquiry, saying it had nothing to add to its own submission.
It states: “The SPA firmly believes the people of Scotland have a police service in which they can take pride, delivered by a workforce which meets high standards of professionalism and dedication to public service.”