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| Scotland's new unified police force replaces eight regional constabularies | Scotland's new unified police force replaces eight regional constabularies |
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| For nearly 40 years, the farming and fishing counties of Dumfries and Galloway have been home to the smallest police force in the UK. But now the tiny force of just 535 officers tucked away in the south-west of Scotland has been swallowed up in the largest policing merger of the modern era. | For nearly 40 years, the farming and fishing counties of Dumfries and Galloway have been home to the smallest police force in the UK. But now the tiny force of just 535 officers tucked away in the south-west of Scotland has been swallowed up in the largest policing merger of the modern era. |
| From Monday, all eight of Scotland's regional forces are being replaced by just one, Police Scotland, which is now the UK's second-largest force after the Metropolitan police. | From Monday, all eight of Scotland's regional forces are being replaced by just one, Police Scotland, which is now the UK's second-largest force after the Metropolitan police. |
| Its 17,400 officers will cover a patch of more than 30,000 square miles and a population of 5.3m people; its beat is vast, ranging from the housing estates of east end Glasgow to the distant islands of Shetland and Fair Isle. | Its 17,400 officers will cover a patch of more than 30,000 square miles and a population of 5.3m people; its beat is vast, ranging from the housing estates of east end Glasgow to the distant islands of Shetland and Fair Isle. |
| Stephen House, the tough, uncompromising former head of Strathclyde police and a former assistant commissioner with the Met, is the chief constable of Police Scotland. He says the new force will bring dramatic, much-needed improvements to Scottish policing – particularly on major, complex cases. | Stephen House, the tough, uncompromising former head of Strathclyde police and a former assistant commissioner with the Met, is the chief constable of Police Scotland. He says the new force will bring dramatic, much-needed improvements to Scottish policing – particularly on major, complex cases. |
| Appointed six months ago, House has already merged Scotland's numerous competing CID and specialist units into one national specialist crime division, staffing it with 2,000 detectives. His mission is to provide "highly visible and accessible policing, coupled with improved access to those specialist services which are needed when threat and harm exists in communities". | Appointed six months ago, House has already merged Scotland's numerous competing CID and specialist units into one national specialist crime division, staffing it with 2,000 detectives. His mission is to provide "highly visible and accessible policing, coupled with improved access to those specialist services which are needed when threat and harm exists in communities". |
| House, a leading candidate to be Met commissioner two years ago, also believes Scotland's single force will be a model for the "inevitable" mergers of England and Wales's 43 forces. It is a proposal which has been vigorously resisted by English and Welsh chief constables and local councils, but success for Police Scotland could embolden the Home Office to try again. | House, a leading candidate to be Met commissioner two years ago, also believes Scotland's single force will be a model for the "inevitable" mergers of England and Wales's 43 forces. It is a proposal which has been vigorously resisted by English and Welsh chief constables and local councils, but success for Police Scotland could embolden the Home Office to try again. |
| However, there are serious anxieties about the new force's accountability, its centralisation and the future of the 6,200 civilian staff believed to be most at risk from cuts and efficiency savings. Critics say the merger has been rushed by the Scottish government to save money, leaving it without any independent democratic oversight. | However, there are serious anxieties about the new force's accountability, its centralisation and the future of the 6,200 civilian staff believed to be most at risk from cuts and efficiency savings. Critics say the merger has been rushed by the Scottish government to save money, leaving it without any independent democratic oversight. |
| There are fears too about a long-running conflict between the new force's chief constable, Stephen House, and the head of the new Scottish Police authority, Vic Emery, over his quango's power to set the force's budgets and personnel policy. | There are fears too about a long-running conflict between the new force's chief constable, Stephen House, and the head of the new Scottish Police authority, Vic Emery, over his quango's power to set the force's budgets and personnel policy. |
| Alison McInnes, the Scottish Liberal Democrats' justice spokeswoman, said the merger endangered the tradition of community-based policing and local accountability in Scotland. | Alison McInnes, the Scottish Liberal Democrats' justice spokeswoman, said the merger endangered the tradition of community-based policing and local accountability in Scotland. |
| Policy and strategy will be heavily controlled at national level, even though Scotland is a very varied, diverse country. Plans for local commanders to liaise with local councils and agree local policing plans was no substitute for direct oversight and authority, she said. | Policy and strategy will be heavily controlled at national level, even though Scotland is a very varied, diverse country. Plans for local commanders to liaise with local councils and agree local policing plans was no substitute for direct oversight and authority, she said. |
| All eight independent police authorities, which were made up of local councillors and oversaw the previous forces, agreeing budgets and policing plans, have been scrapped. The new single police authority's 13 members are appointed by the justice secretary, Kenny McAskill, who also approved House's appointment. | All eight independent police authorities, which were made up of local councillors and oversaw the previous forces, agreeing budgets and policing plans, have been scrapped. The new single police authority's 13 members are appointed by the justice secretary, Kenny McAskill, who also approved House's appointment. |
| McInnes questions House's decision to have armed officers on permanent patrol across the country.That might be necessary in urban Glasgow, she said, but outside major cities the policy is alien to Scotland's unarmed policing tradition. | McInnes questions House's decision to have armed officers on permanent patrol across the country.That might be necessary in urban Glasgow, she said, but outside major cities the policy is alien to Scotland's unarmed policing tradition. |
| "We're on a dangerous road here. With much greater control from the centre, the big decisions about what style of policing we have and what the major priorities will be set by a single police authority board, which is a group of 13 unelected people," she said. "There's a democratic deficit now, quite clearly." | "We're on a dangerous road here. With much greater control from the centre, the big decisions about what style of policing we have and what the major priorities will be set by a single police authority board, which is a group of 13 unelected people," she said. "There's a democratic deficit now, quite clearly." |
| The merger, which ministers insist should save £1.4bn over 15 years, has been supported by many, often younger senior officers. But several departing chief constables have been openly critical. One, Colin McKerracher, until Friday the chief constable of Grampian, said he was "horrified" when the merger was first proposed in 2011. | The merger, which ministers insist should save £1.4bn over 15 years, has been supported by many, often younger senior officers. But several departing chief constables have been openly critical. One, Colin McKerracher, until Friday the chief constable of Grampian, said he was "horrified" when the merger was first proposed in 2011. |
| In his final interview with the Aberdeen Press & Journal last week, McKerracher said he believed policing had become a "political football" at Holyrood, and feared policing was becoming politicised. | In his final interview with the Aberdeen Press & Journal last week, McKerracher said he believed policing had become a "political football" at Holyrood, and feared policing was becoming politicised. |
| "The government are saying that this new service will be locally focused," McKerracher said. "But the one thing that is changing is that there is no local police board able to select a chief constable and style of policing for the area. There will also be no power to hold their chief constable to account. So they are now fairly toothless policing committees." | "The government are saying that this new service will be locally focused," McKerracher said. "But the one thing that is changing is that there is no local police board able to select a chief constable and style of policing for the area. There will also be no power to hold their chief constable to account. So they are now fairly toothless policing committees." |
| Critics say the only genuine democratic oversight of the new service has been forced on the government by MSPs at Holyrood. | Critics say the only genuine democratic oversight of the new service has been forced on the government by MSPs at Holyrood. |
| Graeme Pearson, a Labour MSP who was head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and an assistant chief constable at Strathclyde, oversaw a move by Holyrood's justice committee to set up a sub-committee specifically to monitor the new single force. | Graeme Pearson, a Labour MSP who was head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and an assistant chief constable at Strathclyde, oversaw a move by Holyrood's justice committee to set up a sub-committee specifically to monitor the new single force. |
| It plans to call House and Emery to give evidence in open hearings about the force's performance and question council leaders about local accountability. Even so, it has no legal authority over the police or the SPA. Pearson said he hoped a future government would make its role legally binding. | It plans to call House and Emery to give evidence in open hearings about the force's performance and question council leaders about local accountability. Even so, it has no legal authority over the police or the SPA. Pearson said he hoped a future government would make its role legally binding. |
| Pearson said he been an advocate of a single force for over a decade, and believes some English forces should be merged, but this model had been rushed by the Scottish government. It should have had greater independent oversight and been set up more slowly. | Pearson said he been an advocate of a single force for over a decade, and believes some English forces should be merged, but this model had been rushed by the Scottish government. It should have had greater independent oversight and been set up more slowly. |
| The SPA's control over the force's budgets and personnel could threaten House's operational independence, he said. "If something does go wrong with policing in Scotland, then who's to take responsibility for that? Certainly, it's a fudge." | The SPA's control over the force's budgets and personnel could threaten House's operational independence, he said. "If something does go wrong with policing in Scotland, then who's to take responsibility for that? Certainly, it's a fudge." |
| MacAskill disputes those criticisms and insists the new structure was "overwhelmingly" approved by Holyrood. The SPA would hold House to account, while it was held to account by parliament. Each council has the statutory right to approve and scrutinise local plans, he said, and would liaise directly with area commanders. | MacAskill disputes those criticisms and insists the new structure was "overwhelmingly" approved by Holyrood. The SPA would hold House to account, while it was held to account by parliament. Each council has the statutory right to approve and scrutinise local plans, he said, and would liaise directly with area commanders. |
| "There will continue to be strong local accountability in the new landscape and the new arrangements will lead to more local scrutiny of police services," he told the Guardian. | "There will continue to be strong local accountability in the new landscape and the new arrangements will lead to more local scrutiny of police services," he told the Guardian. |
| Union leaders estimate up to 2,000 civilian staff, including highly experienced forensics experts, scene of crime officers and control room staff, will need to be cut to meet the government's £1.4bn to £1.7bn savings targets. | Union leaders estimate up to 2,000 civilian staff, including highly experienced forensics experts, scene of crime officers and control room staff, will need to be cut to meet the government's £1.4bn to £1.7bn savings targets. |
| House agrees cuts "in the low thousands" will be needed, but has hinted police officer numbers might be cut – a political challenge as Alex Salmond, the first minister, has made having 1,000 extra police officers on the streets a priority. | House agrees cuts "in the low thousands" will be needed, but has hinted police officer numbers might be cut – a political challenge as Alex Salmond, the first minister, has made having 1,000 extra police officers on the streets a priority. |
| More than 1,000 civilian jobs have already been cut in the last year. George McIrvine, the force's Unison branch officer, said: "For all Kenny MacAskill saying that they're not interfering with Scottish policing, but if you're handcuffing the force to keep 17,400 officers, then any cuts fall on civilian staff." | More than 1,000 civilian jobs have already been cut in the last year. George McIrvine, the force's Unison branch officer, said: "For all Kenny MacAskill saying that they're not interfering with Scottish policing, but if you're handcuffing the force to keep 17,400 officers, then any cuts fall on civilian staff." |
| House openly argues that the 17,400 level could still prove unaffordable and is irritated by the SPA's high degree of control over his finances. But he insists the new force will be far more effective than its eight predecessors. | House openly argues that the 17,400 level could still prove unaffordable and is irritated by the SPA's high degree of control over his finances. But he insists the new force will be far more effective than its eight predecessors. |
| House has been openly critical of the often patchy, top-heavy system before, making enemies of other chief officers. He told the Guardian in 2011 that a single force would allow policing to be far decentralised, because local commanders would have more discretion and authority with one single national chief constable. | House has been openly critical of the often patchy, top-heavy system before, making enemies of other chief officers. He told the Guardian in 2011 that a single force would allow policing to be far decentralised, because local commanders would have more discretion and authority with one single national chief constable. |
| For years, Northern Constabulary covered the biggest area of any UK force – some 12,000 square miles – without its own forensics lab or autopsy facilities; it had to use Grampian's in Aberdeen. | For years, Northern Constabulary covered the biggest area of any UK force – some 12,000 square miles – without its own forensics lab or autopsy facilities; it had to use Grampian's in Aberdeen. |
| While overall crime in Scotland is at a 37-year low, detection rates are varied. Some forces' records on solving complex crimes is poor. | While overall crime in Scotland is at a 37-year low, detection rates are varied. Some forces' records on solving complex crimes is poor. |
| "We have reformed from a position of strength, high performance levels and increasing public confidence," House said last week. "The principles of public service and a code of ethics which captures our approach to integrity, fairness and respect are at the core of our business." | "We have reformed from a position of strength, high performance levels and increasing public confidence," House said last week. "The principles of public service and a code of ethics which captures our approach to integrity, fairness and respect are at the core of our business." |
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