Challenging violent extremism, combating terrorism and tackling hate crime are among the key aims of a strategy launched by Scottish chief police officers yesterday.
A new equality and diversity strategy was unveiled by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos).
The document pledges to meet four commitments centred around service, people, engagement and tackling hate crime.
Each of Scotland’s eight police forces will be tasked to implement the three-year plan.
Northern Constabulary Chief Constable Ian Latimer attended the launch at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan Castle, Fife, in his role as head of equality and diversity for Acpos. He said: “Equality and diversity have nothing to do with what some still regard as political correctness.
“On the contrary, promoting equality and recognising diversity, is fundamental to the success of policing.
“Understanding, promoting and respecting equality and diversity are key components in creating greater and sustained public confidence and trust in policing, as both a service provider and employer.
“The police cannot work in isolation. Reducing crime and building safe and confident communities requires the assistance, trust and co-operation of everyone.
“The strategy, however, is just the beginning – to make real achievements, we need commitment throughout our forces to deliver the changes in the coming years.
“Taking this forward will enable individuals and communities to be safer and stronger with reduced risk of victimisation. It will also help to continue to build a fair and accessible police service, which has a richness of diversity and is trained and empowered to support equality and diversity.”
Ros Micklem, national director for Scotland for the European Human Rights Commission (EHRC), welcomed the new strategy.
She said: “The police service in Scotland has made significant progress on equal opportunities since the publication of the Macpherson Report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence 10 years ago.
“However, there is still much to do. Taking employment as one example, less than a quarter of all officers are women and only one in 100 are from ethnic minority communities.
“Both groups are seriously under-represented at senior levels.
“While the roots of these problems are historical, it is only through the continued effort and focus that this updated strategy gives can significant progress be made.”
Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill endorsed the strategy saying: “In Scotland, we have always policed by consent, and as we meet the challenges of the modern world, it is vital that we take all possible steps to ensure that policing continues to receive the confidence and support of the diverse public it serves.”
The full strategy can be seen at www.acpos. police.uk