Murder investigations in the north and north-east could be put in jeopardy if Aberdeen’s forensic laboratory is closed, the head of Grampian Police said yesterday.
Chief Constable Colin Mc-Kerracher said the expertise of Aberdeen forensic scientists had played a key role in murder investigations in the city.
The future of the Aberdeen lab, which serves both Grampian and the Highlands and islands, has been thrown into doubt following a decision by the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) to build a new facility in Dundee.
Mr McKerracher and north-east politicians have criticised moves to shut the Nelson Street lab, saying that beating crime in the north and north-east will be hampered if services and jobs are moved to Tayside.
Yesterday’s comments from the chief constable came during a meeting of Grampian Joint Police Board, where members prepared an initial consultation response to the proposed closure.
He said senior investigating officers had told him that day-to-day contact with scientists from the lab had been invaluable in murder inquiries. The police chief added that the “proximity of expertise here and the efficiency of science” saved taxpayers’ money by concluding investigations more quickly than would be possible if the service moved to Dundee.
The board approved an initial response to the SPSA’s consultation, in which it criticised the quango for the “substantial lack of transparent consultation and engagement” with the north-east over the future of the lab.
“In short, the board is less than satisfied with the manner in which the consultation process has been conducted to date,” it states.
“It would appear that the decision to close the lab has already been made and that the consultation document is no more than a crude justification of that decision.”
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill denied that the consultation was a foregone conclusion in the Holyrood parliament on Thursday.
North-east councillors attacked the plans again at yesterday’s board meeting.
Convener Martin Greig branded the consultation “flawed and biased”.
Aberdeen City Council deputy leader Kevin Stewart said: “I have got nothing against Dundee. However . . . we require this facility here in the north-east, as far as I’m concerned. Keeping quality science jobs here is extremely important.”
City council officials are to hold talks with police and the force’s forensic scientists with a view to combining the work of the authority’s public analysts with that carried out at the lab.
“If we could show to the government we are looking at some kind of shared service that would strengthen the case to retain services here,” Mr Stewart said. “I would imagine there could be some sort of shared facilities to cut down on costs.”
SPSA officials are to be invited to an emergency meeting of the police board in January or February.
SPSA director of forensic services Tom Nelson said: “Maintaining an effective and efficient forensic service for the north has always been a key factor in our proposals and we have made clear that our objective is to strengthen, not weaken, our capability to deliver specialist services to the whole country.
“We have already committed to ensuring that all scene-examiners – those experts within our team who actually attend crime scenes – will remain close to their local forces and will be unaffected by any laboratory decision.
“The consultation process is ongoing and remains a major priority.
“It is our belief that all of Scotland should benefit from the investment we are making in forensic services, including Grampian Police and Northern Constabulary and the communities they serve.”