Review of police calls as second crash victim dies
Pressure grows on force as woman left in car for three days loses fight for life
MORE pressure has been piled on Police Scotland after the death of a young woman who lay in a crashed car beside her dead partner for three days following a failure to log the accident.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson yesterday took the unprecedented step of ordering Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to undertake an urgent review of all police call handling.
It came hours after the death of Lamara Bell, 25, whose partner, 28-yearold John Yuill, was killed.
There had been a delay of three days in police initiating checks on their crashed blue Renault Clio by the M9 outside Bannockburn following last Sunday’s crash.
There had been calls for a wider review of police operations after reports alleged that the officer who took the call did not know how to use the police computer system properly.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Margaret Mitchell said: “This has been a devastating tragedy, and you can only feel for the families involved.
“The second death in relation to this incident really increases the pressure on Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. They both assured the public the 101 number was working well and there was nothing to worry about, despite police officers telling a different story. This tragic incident proves that not to be the case.”
Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, a former director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said the incident was an “extremely uncomfortable” situation for all those in authority and should “now finally chime a warning to all of them”.
Writing in today’s Herald, he added: “The stark and indisputable truth in this case reveals further evidence that police systems, culture and structures are failing to properly support those on the front line across our national police service.
“In the absence of proper management structures, levels of responsibilities, effective IT systems and true accountabilities no organisation can operate a culture designed to demonstrate good policing.”
The couple, from Falkirk, had been travelling back from Loch Earn in Stirlingshire when the accident occurred on the morning on July 5.
However they were not found until Wednesday, 72 hours after the incident was first reported. Mr Yuill was pronounced dead at the scene.
The couple had been reported missing on the Monday morning.
Ms Bell’s brother confirmed on Facebook that the 25-year-old mother of two had died yesterday, while her father Andrew said in his profile that his “beautiful purple haired girl” had died.
The Yuill family also released a statement saying: “We are devastated by the sad news this morning.
“The families have messaged each other this morning and our thoughts are with John and Lamara’s children at this very sad time.”
Ms Bell had been in a medically-induced coma at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Mr Matheson said that it was “essential” that answers were found quickly and offered his sympathies on behalf of the First Minister and Scottish Government.
He said: “Following discussion with the First Minister, I have today directed Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary to undertake a formal investigation and review of call handling and process within Police Scotland’s contact command and control centres.
“I have spoken to the Chief Constable and this review has the full support of Police Scotland.
“This independent review will provide the Scottish Government with an accurate picture of capacity and capability at present, and clearly identify any issues so they can be promptly remedied. This will assist in providing assurance around the operation of call handling within Police Scotland’s Contact Command and Control Centres.”
On completion, Mr Matheson said the report would be submitted to ministers who will consider its recommendations. He added: “This will be a thorough and speedy review that will help to ensure that the people of Scotland can have full confidence in this vital public service.”
Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said he welcomed the announcement
saying: “In light of recent tragic events, Police Scotland need to be able to reassure the Scottish public that we have both the capacity and the capability to deal with their calls to us, both in an emergency on 999 and in our 101 service.
“It was with this intent I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to ask that HMICS review our call handling procedures across the country, and offer recommendations if required.”
Sir Stephen has already apologised to the relatives, saying police had “failed both families” when the incident was not entered into the electronic system that would have triggered as response.
The Police Investigations & Review Commissioner (Pirc) had already launched an separate inquiry and said it would “rigorously pursue” a full investigation as to why the original call was not followed up.
Scottish Labour’s justice spokeswoman Elaine Murray said Ms Bell’s death reinforces the need for an “urgent, full and wide-ranging inquiry” by the Pirc.
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THE news yesterday of Lamara Bell’s death is a sad outcome for the only ray of hope in this terrible situation. The suffering experienced by the friends and families affected is horrifying. The discovery Police Scotland failed to respond to a telephone call for assistance, effectively abandoning Ms Bell for three days, lying alone, critically injured beside her dead boyfriend John Yuill, must have been extremely uncomfortable for all those in authority and should now finally chime a warning to all of them.
The subsequent apology offered by Chief Constable Sir Stephen House days later, I feel sure, was the result of long internal discussions about how to handle the situation. Only last month Sir Stephen described his Police Authority and those of us who have commented on problems at Police Scotland as merely “people who want to make some headlines [and] just have another go at Police Scotland”.
In that light his belated apology on Friday must have been a bitter pill for him to swallow – an apology I truly wish had not been necessary. But under the supervision of the Scottish Police Authority, Police Scotland has been engrossed in handling the media, controlling the message and issuing positive statements instead of serving the public.
Sir Stephen said he could not go into the facts of the situation because the circumstances were being investigated. Yet he felt able to point a finger by saying an “experienced officer” at Bilston Glen call centre answered the call in six seconds reporting the accident and that the details were not recorded in the police systems for a response. As with previous incidents causing recent public concerns such as the death of Sheku Bayoh in Fife, the authorities have adopted a habit of releasing only details that suit before hiding behind a “protocol” allegedly preventing further information being released.
Such responses indicate there are few signs the command team at Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority or the SNP Government are capable of acknowledging the reality behind the current situation. This case reveals further evidence police systems, culture and structures are failing to properly support those on the front line.
For four years now, I and others have tried to encourage proper accountability and governance of all things “policing”. Controversies around the removal of more than 2,000 staff jobs, some in control centres and through redundancies, stop and search, police use of firearms and the hasty closure of control rooms across the country have all been dismissed by the SNP Government as attacks on those working hard for the public.
At every stage ministers supported by their backbenchers have cooed over the additional 1,000 police officers they provided as the solution to every problem. Lamara Bell and John Yuill desperately needed just one officer when their car crashed yet Police Scotland failed to deliver that officer.
The Government’s decision yesterday to order a separate report into police call handling by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary is years too late.
In the absence of proper management structures, levels of responsibilities, effective IT systems and true accountabilities, no organisation can operate a culture designed to demonstrate good policing.
We’ve had denials of target setting from the force, along with various commitments on searches and use of firearms. We’ve had allegations of a culture of bullying and stress from Superintendents. We’ve even had a report in The Herald about alleged cheating on the prestigious UK Command Course by a member of Police Scotland’s Executive team. Without a strong culture encouraging candour and integrity, it will remain impossible for the chief officers of the Service to maintain the confidence of communities across Scotland.
It is to be hoped the events on the M9 will bring about change in the way in which governance and oversight is delivered across Scotland. It’s time for those in command to take responsibility for their duties, for those “in charge” at the Police Authority to deliver good governance, for Government ministers to stop worrying about positive messages and ensure the authority delivers on its responsibilities.