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Police redeployment
27/12/2007
The civilianisation of police custody suites, freeing up officers to spend more time on the beat, is being highlighted as the kind of smart redeployment that will help deliver an additional 1,000 police officers in our communities.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill today met civilian custody officers in Glenrothes police station before going on the beat with community police officers.
The following are examples of other redeployment initiatives by Fife police:
- The force is working with the Environmental Service in Fife council, who risk asses each call on noise nuisance and make the decision as to whether the disturbance has to be attended by the council workers or police officers. This has had a positive effect of freeing up police time
- The force work together with the Fife Ambulance Service who go out and pick up drunk and disorderly people, freeing up police and custody time
- During certain times of the year which have particularly busy nights, such as over the Christmas period, police officers who work in the training departments are out on the beat
Kenny MacAskill said:
"While most people will be enjoying a time of rest and relaxation over the Christmas holiday period, Scotland's police officers will be serving our communities, as they do every day of the year.
"As Justice Secretary I recognise the important role that these men and women play in making our communities safer and stronger.
"This Government has already set out its commitment to deliver a more visible police presence on Scotland's streets and an additional 1,000 police officers available in our communities.
"We will do this through the recruitment of an additional 500 officers, the improved retention of skilled and experienced officers and the redeployment of more officers into our communities - where the public want them.
"Examples like the civilianisation of custody suites, freeing up our police officers to get out from behind their desks and get back on the beat, are tangible examples of the kind of smart redeployment I want to see rolled out across Scotland.
"This Government is determined to see more police officers becoming part of the fabric of the neighbourhoods they serve - building local knowledge, forging good relationships with families and businesses and helping support safe, strong communities for all."
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced on 12 November this year the investment of 54 million pounds across the Spending Review period for significant additional recruitment of 500 officers, with at least 150 being available this financial year.
The Justice Secretary also announced that he had asked ACPOS to review the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of centralising recruitment across the eight police forces.
With 2,300 officers reaching 30 years' service and eligible to retire over the next four years, Mr MacAskill has launched a review of the 30+ scheme to ensure the retention of more skilled and experienced officers rather than seeing them leave the service when they still have much to offer.
The Scottish Budget set an annual efficiency target of two per cent for Scotland's police forces, along with the rest of the public sector. The major savings released through this will be available for Police Boards to reinvest in delivering improved operational policing, drive out inefficiency, cut needless bureaucracy and free up officer time for redeployment to front line duties.
As part of their responsibilities to deliver Best Value, Joint Police Boards should agree with Chief Constables the levels of visible and accessible policing that local communities have a right to expect.
Delivering this ambitious plan is a top priority for this Government, working in partnership with the Scottish Police staff associations, ACPOS, HMIC, and the convenors of Joint Police Boards.