This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Police told not to 'waste time' on bureacracy
29/08/2003
Police officers completing their probationer training should spend as much time as possible working in communities to tackle crime and waste less on bureaucracy and other duties, a passing out parade at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan was told today.
First Minister Jack McConnell was acting as the Inspecting Office and also launching the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) 10 year recruitment strategy.
Speaking before the ceremony, Mr McConnell said:
"Every police officer provides a crucial service to the public and I am happy to support this new action plan which sets out how the police will develop a modern, professional organisation that will attract the best people who are committed to serving the people of Scotland.
"And I am delighted to be here today for the graduation of the next generation of police officers who will work with us to tackle crime and improve the safety of communities right across Scotland.
"I welcome the commitment they have made to public service by joining the police force, a commitment they have already proved by their hard work during this initial training period.
"I now want to make a commitment to them, and to every person who will join the police service in the months and years to come.
"I want them to be able use their energies and talents to tackle and prevent crime, to work with communities to improve safety and to show that public service is something of which we can all be proud. I want Scotland's police forces to do all they can to ensure that those who are completing their probationer training join a service in which officers spend as much of their time as possible working with the communities they serve, catching criminals and not wasting time on activities that can be handled better by others."
The Scottish government has introduced a number of measures designed to help free police offiers to do their job more effectively.
These include:
Support for new technology projects that cut down on time consuming paperwork
- Roll out of community wardens who will help support the police by observing and report incidents of vandalism and anti-social behaviour to them. They may also act as professional witnesses
- A commitment to introduce a court reforms that will cut the wasted hours police officers currently spend waiting to give evidence at court
The Scottish Police Service People Strategy 2003-13, "Fit for the 21st Century" was launched today by John Vine, President of ACPOS. Copies are available from ACPOS at 173 Pitt Street, Glasgow (tel 0141 532 2052).
The strategy identifies eight goals:
- Creating and maintaining a positive working environment
- Recruiting the right workforce, and retaining skills in the Service
- Managing rewards and recognition
- Becoming a more diverse and inclusive Service
- Managing and developing people to deliver excellent results
- Supporting individuals to fulfil their potential; careers and progression
- Developing leaders and integrating leadership throughout the Service
- Using this people strategy to enable change across the Service
The Partnership Agreement published in May this year outlined the Scottish government's commitment to tackling crime and disorder by:
- Increasing the number of police officers on operational duty in every Scottish force and improving on the current level of overall police numbers
- Supporting Chief Constables to meet their target of an increase of 500 in the number of special constables