House refuses to resign after blunder
Sir Stephen insists force needs leadership after tragic blunder
SIR Stephen House has said he will not resign as Police Scotland chief constable over the deaths of two people in a car crash after a police blunder.
The Liberal Democrats have called for the immediate suspension of the single force’s control room and service centre closure programme after John Yuill, 28, and Lamara Bell, 25, died from injuries suffered in the crash on the M9, near Bannockburn.
SCOTLAND’S police chief has insisted he will not resign over a blunder which left two car-crash victims in the damaged vehicle for three days after their accident.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen House’s comments come as pressure grows on the force following the deaths of John Yuill, 28, and his partner Lamara Bell, 25, whose car crashed on the M9, near Bannockburn. An initial call to police was not logged and officers were not sent out to the scene.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie yesterday called for the immediate suspension of Police Scotland’s controlroom and service-centre closure programme until a review of police handling of calls is complete.
Mr Yuill was found dead in a blue Renault Clio and Ms Bell died on Sunday after being found badly injured by police after a second call last Wednesday. They had been reported missing after leaving friends at Loch Earn.
Sir Stephen, who has indicated he will not reapply for the post of chief constable again next year, said he would not resign at this stage. He said: “If I come to the conclusion that I should resign then I will resign. I do not believe that is the case at this moment in time. The organisation needs leadership.”
Mr Rennie had previously raised concerns and a second probe was called by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson to be held by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland. It comes alongside the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner’s investigation into the incident.
Mr Rennie broached problems at police control rooms before and has been contacted by serving officers and civilian staff with concerns over workload pressures and other issues.
Control rooms and service centres have already shut at Glen-
‘‘ It is essential that Police Scotland is accountable when things go wrong, (and) there is transparency
rothes, Dumfries, Stirling and Pitt Street (Glasgow). Aberdeen and Inverness are also set to lose their control rooms in September and December respectively.
In a letter received by the Scottish Liberal Democrats on July 2, Sir Stephen said these timescales remain valid. Mr Rennie said: “Shortages of civilian staff have forced police officers to backfill and cover call-centre shifts and people have faced extended waits to have their calls answered.
“These are very serious issues and there is a strong case for the immediate suspension of the ongoing control-room closure program until we get to the bottom of the problems in the system. At First Minister’s Questions in March, the First Minister promised that she would discuss these issues with the Chief Constable and the Justice Secretary. But it seems clear that the problems that were identified then have not been addressed.
“I am certain the HMICS review will establish what representations the First Minister and Justice Secretary made to Police Scotland and what steps were taken to improve call handling as a result.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is absolutely essential that Police Scotland is accountable when things go wrong, [and] there is full transparency and accountability and a determination to learn lessons — and that is what happening with this incident.”
Meanwhile, the man who made the initial call to police after spotting the Clio off the road has spoken of his guilt that he did not follow it up. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the BBC the officer he dealt with was not dismissive and sounded as though he knew what he was doing.
The caller said that details were taken of the location and he assumed police would check it out. He said there was “nothing to suggest they would not take it seriously”.
He became concerned on the Monday and Tuesday when the car was still there with no police tape covering it, but thought it “must be awaiting recovery”.
He said he was “aware of what was being said about whether he should have done more” but believed police were handling it.
Ms Bell’s brother Martin has been updating friends and family and thanked the community in the Falkirk and Camelon area for helping raise funds and offering support after the tragedy.
He said: “I am blown away by the effort and time our community in Falkirk are putting into making the loss of my sister as painless as possible for my family. There has been two donation pages been set up, one for my family and John’s family, for any funeral.
“Just feels like a bad dream right now ... but all your kind words and efforts are helping.”
THE death of Lamara Bell and ensuing crisis of confidence in Police Scotland serve to remind us of the fragile relationship between “the public” and our concept of “public service”. Last week, many people shuddered at the thought of Ms Bell, trapped and seriously hurt in a car next to her dead boyfriend for three days; yards from a major road, helpless and dehydrated in the summer heat.
Had the incident occurred elsewhere, we might have tut-tutted and moved on. But it happened in Scotland. As one politician remarked, we might expect to hear this from the Third World.
Scotland is not the Third World. Our public services are well funded and delivered, mainly, to a very high standard. Our police and other services are regarded highly. But these days the public has become more questioning of those in authority – all the more reason for public servants to speak plainly, act transparently and avoid spin.
Let us consider a few recent examples. Twenty months after the Clutha police helicopter crash, which claimed 10 lives, we still await the results of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau investigation. Rumours abound about what that report might say.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the appeal fund administered by Glasgow City Council, which collected £500,000, distributed it to an anonymous list of recipients and then closed, all within 10 months.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing, and no doubt the trust money will have been put to good use by recipients, who have included families of the dead and injured. But neither has there been any transparent explanation of how decisions were made, by whom, or whether – as has been claimed – deserving cases had been ignored. There are also tales of insurers being difficult with some victims and relatives.
When the Glasgow bin lorry crash happened last December, killing eight, one of the council’s statements said that the truck’s driver would “never be named”. Needless to say, he has been, but the incident goes to the heart of the transparency issue.
A fatal accident inquiry looms, but the Crown Office has promised that it will not lead to anyone being prosecuted. This statement seems bizarre, and raises the question as to why they should proceed at all.
Before evidence is taken, who is to say whether there was fault by any individual or the truck’s operator, Glasgow City Council?
The Clutha crash may well have been an unavoidable accident. The trust fund may have been well administered. The bin lorry crash, and Lamara Bell’s horrible death, may have been appalling one-off incidents.
But who is to decide these things. Police officers? Council officials? Insurance assessors? The Crown Office?
Mistrust in every corner of public life – from police chiefs to bankers, politicians and the media – is very high. As citizens and consumers, we consent to authority and the marketplace when we feel we are being told the truth, a credible narrative; otherwise, as Scots will say, there will be a feeling that “things are not quite right”.
‘‘ Our police and other services are regarded highly. But the public has become more questioning of those in authority