Concerns regardin police Scotland.

Concerns regarding Police Scotland “fall completely at the SNP’s (Scottish National Party) door”, the Scottish Conservatives shadow justice (the administration of law) secretary Douglas Ross has said. 
Earlier this month the Scottish Government set seven new priority areas to give a broad strategic direction for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (Public body of the Government that holds national Police Scotland), (SPA), which included localism, inclusion (as part of the whole) and adaptability. 
However, the Scottish Conservatives have raised concerns about the state of the single force and its performance on maintaining local relationships and its ability to deal with current and future threats. As part of the consultation phase for the new priority framework, Edinburgh City Council submitted feedback saying it was “difficult” for officers to maintain relationships at a local level due to police being moved around different areas within the force. The Scottish Police Federation also listed a range of concerns which included Scottish Government funding of the force for tools such as an effective IT system. Mr Ross said: “These are very severe warnings that cover a range of areas where Police Scotland is struggling. “It is losing traction (the force to stick against surface the thing is moving along) on the ground locally, and failing to keep up with the world of technology. “This falls completely at the SNP’s door, which created the single force and has overseen its first few years.

“Ministers said local policing wouldn’t be hampered (to prevent the free movement, action or progress), but here we have Scotland’s capital city saying otherwise. “This message is replicated across the country and I hear concerns about local policy everywhere I go. “Communities and police officers alike (similar to each other) are highlighting failings which we were assured by the SNP would not occur. “The Scottish Government has to take heed (to pay attention to something, especially advice) of this, and make sure the police can deal not only with current challenges, but future ones too.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The new Strategic Police Priorities has been developed following extensive consultation with people from across Scotland and key partners. “These priorities will strengthen the community focus of policing, ensuring that our national priorities take account of the needs of local communities. “In terms funding, the Scottish Government is committed to protecting the police revenue budget (the amount of money allocated to the maintenance and growth of a business)  in real terms for the entirety of this parliament, delivering an additional £100 million of investment over the next five years, in addition to £55 million of reform funding in 2016-17. “It is for SPA (Scottish Police Authorities) and Police Scotland to determine the best possible use of the budget according to national and local priorities.”