Police chiefs last night issued a reassurance that Inverness would become the home of a crime database unit when the city loses its emergency control room.
Despite strong opposition, the control room is expected to switch to Dundee – as the Aberdeen control room did – in March.
The move is expected to be ratified by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) in August.
Highland Council leader Margaret Davidson, who vehemently opposes the idea, has questioned whether a promised National Database Enquiry Unit (NDEU) will materialise.
She issued a statement shortly before yesterday’s SPA meeting, worried by Scottish Justice Minister Michael Matheson’s comments on the issue in the Edinburgh parliament on Tuesday.
He said the new unit would be “largely based in Inverness,” adding that the force was also considering a “partnership arrangement” with an existing unit in Govan.
Councillor Davidson said: “I’m shocked to hear that Police Scotland is considering options other than to have the unit based in Inverness. This would be going back on promises made since Police Scotland announced the intended closure of the control room.
“To have two centres shared with Govan would dilute the service and jobs in Inverness and weaken the future of any service in Inverness.”
But yesterday, Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins told SPA board members meeting in Glasgow that it was his intention to bring forward proposals for the closure of the Inverness service centre and control room and creation of an NDEU in August.
“We remain committed to the creation of an NDEU facility in Inverness,” he said.
Board chairman Andrew Flanagan urged colleagues to “engage with Highland Council, particularly if there are issues around the closure of the control centre or the moving of the national database unit up there.”
Mr Matheson has insisted that the amalgamation of eight police districts under a single chief constable had meant “more comprehensive contact.”
Many opposition MSPs and Mrs Davidson, however, fear a breakdown in communication if officers rely on a control room in a different region hundreds of miles away.
A spokesman for the Scottish Police Authority said: “Police Scotland provided an update on Contact, Command and Control at today’s public SPA Board meeting. It was confirmed that proposals for Inverness will be brought to August board meet for consideration. And, during today’s discussions, Police Scotland strongly re-stated its commitment to ongoing engagement with stakeholders whose concerns were allso acknowledged by Board. Police Scotland also confirmed a continuing commitment to Inverness.”
