Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has joined 500 people in signing the Press and Journal’s petition to keep the Aberdeen and Inverness police call centres open.
She accused the SNP of “arrogance” over the slated mothballing of the control rooms and said she was “proud” to support them remaining open.
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has also backed the campaign, accusing the SNP of “denial and bluster” over the planned closures.
Sign our Keep 999 Local petition
There have been growing concerns about the mothballing of the two centres following a damning expert report into the M9 crash scandal and revelations that 999 calls from the north and north-east would be handled in the central belt.
Ms Dugdale, who signed the Press and Journal’s petition yesterday, said: “The Scottish public need to know that they will be kept safe and that the police will be there when they need them.
“Scotland has some of the finest police officers in the world, and staff who dedicated their careers to keeping people safe, but they are being let down because of decisions made by the leadership of Police Scotland and SNP Ministers.
“The SNP’s reform to our police force has seen contact centres, stations and counters all shut. That removes accountability and the localism from our force.
“That’s why I asked our justice spokesperson – former senior police officer Graeme Pearson – to review policing in Scotland.
His report has called for a return to community policing based on transparency and accountability.
“The Press and Journal are right to start this campaign, and I’m proud to sign their petition.
“It is clear that the SNP government should call a halt to these closures. After eight years in office and a majority in the parliament the SNP Government in Edinburgh have no excuses here.
“If they don’t listen to people’s concerns it would be just another example of the arrogance that has become so commonplace from the SNP in government.”
Plans to close the call centres in Aberdeen and Inverness have been put on hold following the M9 crash scandal.
A Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of the Constabulary Scotland report said that independent assurances should be sought before the closures go ahead.
But Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said outside experts could not reverse the decision to close the north and north-east centres – raising fears it was merely a “box ticking exercise”.
To sign our petition, visit:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-our-call-centres-keep-999-local