This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-34072703
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sir Stephen House to quit as Police Scotland chief constable | Sir Stephen House to quit as Police Scotland chief constable |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The chief constable of Police Scotland is to stand down from his post, BBC Scotland has learned. | The chief constable of Police Scotland is to stand down from his post, BBC Scotland has learned. |
| Sir Stephen House has been under severe pressure over the three days it took his officers to respond to a fatal crash on the M9. | Sir Stephen House has been under severe pressure over the three days it took his officers to respond to a fatal crash on the M9. |
| He has also been criticised over armed officers being put on routine patrol and his force's policies on stopping and searching juveniles. | He has also been criticised over armed officers being put on routine patrol and his force's policies on stopping and searching juveniles. |
| Sir Stephen is to leave his post at the start of December. | |
| He is currently attending a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), where he is expected to confirm the details of his departure. | |
| 'Combined challenges' | |
| Paying tribute to the chief constable, SPA chairman Vic Emery said he firmly believed that Sir Stephen had been "the right individual at the right time" to lead Police Scotland through the "combined challenges of major reorganisation, fundamental reform, and reduced funding". | |
| He added: "Sometimes the public don't always see the real person behind the public profile. Steve has always been a constable first, and a chief officer second. He has continued to see policing as a lifelong personal vocation, not simply a career ladder to climb. I believe that will be a view of him shared by many thousands of officers and staff across Police Scotland." | |
| The chief constable had previously indicated he was likely to stand down when his four year contract expired in September of next year. | The chief constable had previously indicated he was likely to stand down when his four year contract expired in September of next year. |
| Sir Stephen, who was previously the chief constable of Strathclyde Police, oversaw the complex amalgamation of Scotland's eight regional police forces into the single national force, which is the second largest in the UK. | Sir Stephen, who was previously the chief constable of Strathclyde Police, oversaw the complex amalgamation of Scotland's eight regional police forces into the single national force, which is the second largest in the UK. |
| Since then, he has overseen successes such as the policing of last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. | Since then, he has overseen successes such as the policing of last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. |
| But he was criticised over his decision to put armed officers on routine patrols, as well as the force's policy on stopping and searching juveniles. | But he was criticised over his decision to put armed officers on routine patrols, as well as the force's policy on stopping and searching juveniles. |
| The force is also under pressure over its response to the M9 crash in July in which John Yuill and his partner Lamara Bell died after it took three days for officers to respond to reports of their car leaving the road near Stirling. | The force is also under pressure over its response to the M9 crash in July in which John Yuill and his partner Lamara Bell died after it took three days for officers to respond to reports of their car leaving the road near Stirling. |
| And its officers are being investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner over the death of Sheku Bayoh. | |
| Mr Bayoh died in police custody after being arrested following an incident in Kirkcaldy on 3 May. | Mr Bayoh died in police custody after being arrested following an incident in Kirkcaldy on 3 May. |
| Sir Stephen had faced calls to resign from opposition politicians in the wake of the controversies, but Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has always insisted she had full confidence in him. | Sir Stephen had faced calls to resign from opposition politicians in the wake of the controversies, but Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has always insisted she had full confidence in him. |
| 'Accept responsibility' | |
| Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, who has been a fierce critic of the single force, said Sir Stephen's departure would not by itself solve the "deep-rooted problems" in Police Scotland and said the force needed a "fresh start". | |
| He added: "Ultimately the SNP government must accept responsibility for this chaos. They rammed through the centralisation of our police service despite warnings. They set up the toothless Scottish Police Authority. They appointed the chief constable." | |
| Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Sir Stephen was "bowing to the inevitable" by resigning, and said it was "essential that his replacement is up to the task of tackling the problems that have afflicted the single force since its inception." | |
| And Scottish Labour's justice spokesman, Graeme Pearson - who were formerly a senior police officer - said Sir Stephen was doing the right thing. | |
| He added: "Officers and staff work round the clock to keep people safe. The controversy of this summer has dragged their reputation unfairly through the mud. The process of reforming Police Scotland can begin now if the SNP government are willing to take responsibility for their mistakes." | |
| The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said Sir Stephen had made a "monumental contribution" to policing. | |
| 'Impressive results' | |
| The federation's chairman, Brian Docherty, said: "He has delivered the most significant public sector restructuring in a generation against a background of a brutal austerity agenda. | The federation's chairman, Brian Docherty, said: "He has delivered the most significant public sector restructuring in a generation against a background of a brutal austerity agenda. |
| "He has delivered some very impressive policing results on crimes of violence, particularly domestic violence. I have little doubt that history will prove to be kinder to Sir Stephen than the current commentary which at times has been vindictive and deeply personal. | "He has delivered some very impressive policing results on crimes of violence, particularly domestic violence. I have little doubt that history will prove to be kinder to Sir Stephen than the current commentary which at times has been vindictive and deeply personal. |
| "Many people feared that a single police service could be susceptible to political interference and those who have called for the head of the chief constable as some form of trophy need to consider that." | "Many people feared that a single police service could be susceptible to political interference and those who have called for the head of the chief constable as some form of trophy need to consider that." |
| Niven Rennie, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, said on Twitter that the first chief constable of Police Scotland "was always going to be on a hiding to nothing". | Niven Rennie, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, said on Twitter that the first chief constable of Police Scotland "was always going to be on a hiding to nothing". |
| He also said that critics of the force should "recognise the great achievements of Police Scotland in its formative years not concentrate on the mistakes." | |
| Mr Rennie said Sir Stephen's decision would give a chance to rebuild on a "crazy" two years, and that he believed a "change in style will help". |