Police halt search for prowler – to save on overtime

POLICE called off a search for a potential housebreaker to avoid overtime costs, according to fresh claims from rank-and-file officers.

The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), representing the officers, also said some members had been banned from using tea towels – to save cash on cleaning them.

The SPF has used Twitter to reveal a slew of redacted emails from whistleblowers raising concern over budget reductions. It emerged last week that the troubled single force is facing a £21.1million black hole in its finances this year, despite making £5million of cuts.

In the latest example, police were called to a report of a ‘prowler’ but had to stand down to avoid overtime costs, leaving the officers involved ‘disgusted’.

Last night, SPF general secretary Calum Steele said: ‘When it comes to specialist services, such as searches with dog-handlers, it is preposterous that their deployment in situations of real need should be dictated by financial circumstances.’

In one tweet yesterday, Mr Steele said: ‘It’s not like the public want us hunting would-be vandals, housebreakers or possible sex offenders now – is it?’

Attached to the tweet was a redacted email referring to an incident three weeks ago when a ‘prowler with a balaclava’ was seen at 4.30am ‘trying to break into a house’, sparking a search that proved unsuccessful.

There was a further call at 6.30am when a man wearing a balaclava was seen trying to ‘break into a house with a single female’ resident but he had been ‘disturbed’ and fled the scene.

Officers were ‘stood down… to avoid overtime’ costs and were ‘disgusted’, according to the whistleblower.

In another case highlighted by the SPF, officers attending an alarm going off found several doors of the property open and ‘signs that persons have been within’. At 1.20am, the unit requested assistance from the only police dog-handler on duty in the division, who advised that he will ‘not be authorised overtime to attend as he is off at 3am and it would take almost an hour to get to the locus’.

Another officer claimed that officers were no longer allowed to use tea or hand towels ‘due to cost of washing/cleaning them’.

Last week Police Scotland was accused of ordering cleaners to cut the number of bin bags they use in a bid to save money.

Commenting on the SPF’s latest revelations last night, Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: ‘We will continue to engage with the Federation and others as the service addresses the financial challenges we currently face.

‘This will allow us to maintain an effective service to communities which meets the needs and demands we face now and in the future within our budget.’

The Scottish Government has said it is protecting the police revenue budget ‘in real terms’ for the entirety of this parliament.

Graham Grant – Page 16