We are now six months on from Police Scotland assuming responsibility from the eight forces which previously maintained law and order across the country.
That presents a timely milestone from which to look at some of the changes that have taken place and, importantly, look forward.
Change is never easy. Reform of policing in Scotland represented the single biggest change in our structures since the first officers began patrolling the streets.
Policing has always evolved. This latest and most significant change is taking place against a background of financial challenges, with significant savings to be made.
Our focus remains on keeping people safe.
Local policing is at the very heart of Police Scotland. It’s our core activity and is what the public sees on a day-to-day basis, whether in response to placing a 999 call or providing road policing in the community.
Local policing across the north-east of Scotland is performing strongly. Officers have continued to deal with a range of incidents since the advent of the new service. It was always anticipated that the public would see little discernible change in policing on a day-to-day basis.
Yet the change is already bringing great benefits. Divisional teams now have access to a wider range of specialist, nationally managed resources, such as air support and mounted section, both of which have been deployed regularly in the area.
Major Investigation Teams, part of the new Specialist Crime Directorate, have also been active since April, leading complex and challenging inquiries, which means we no longer need to form ad hoc squads and deplete resources from other areas of business.
Part of the National Rape Taskforce is based in Aberdeen and the Human Trafficking Unit also has officers based here. The north-east is fully playing its part in how Police Scotland carries out its activity.
We recognise that a national service must also reflect local issues and demand. We strive hard to maintain the balance between being a nationally structured organisation which has local policing at its core. Local policing plans which reflect that need help drive forward policing in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands and islands, as they do in the rest of the country.
We are currently consulting our staff and engaging with the public on future front-counter provision at police offices. Public demand for police contact largely comes through other routes now, fewer people are calling in person at a front counter.
Looking across Scotland, we want to provide a greater level of consistency in our service and that’s why we are looking at this issue just now.
It does not mean police stations themselves are closing. Neither does it mean we are stopping providing these frontline services, it’s simply proposed they will be delivered from other locations.
The issue has generated a great deal of discussion but I believe, if we are to truly become a modern, effective police service fit for the 21st century, then all options should be considered in terms of how we deliver that.
I don’t want cops sitting idly in police stations, idle because the public contact us in other ways. I want officers on the streets, in uniform, visible and talking to the public.
The team looking at front-counter provision have closely considered how the public choose to access our services, not just since the advent of Police Scotland, but also by using data gathered by the legacy of Northern Constabulary and Grampian Police.
This is about policing adapting to the world around us and basing our services on public demand. If the demand simply isn’t there at certain front-counter locations, we need to seriously think about how we structure our organisation to deal with demand where it does exist.
No area of policing activity will escape scrutiny. We will look at how we reduce costs and we will be held accountable by the Scottish Police Authority, who will ask searching questions of me as chief constable about ways we can balance the books. We want to ensure we have the most cost-effective operation which provides best value for the public purse.
With eight organisations becoming a single service, there will be areas of duplication which need to be closely examined. Do we need the same number of buildings across our estate or the same fleet level? Are there better ways for our 10 control rooms to be structured and operating? Can we reduce energy bills? Can we cut the cost of our administration?
These are all questions I am asking and the questions our teams are working on to arrive at the answers over the next few months.
Policing does not stand still. It constantly evolves to support the communities we serve. It is only right we work hard to deliver our resources in the right place at the right time so we focus on keeping people safe.
This is ultimately what drives us as an organisation. Police Scotland remains 100% committed to tackling the issues which matter the most to communities, and those which have the highest impact.
Public confidence in policing is high and I am committed to maintaining that.
Antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse and sexual crime, road safety and violent crime – these are all matters which every officer, whether they work in a local community team or a national specialist unit, and member of staff plays an important role in tackling.
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