THE Court of Session has displayed refreshing transparency and common sense in expressing its concerns about officers of a police force investigating complaints against their own colleagues ("Guarding the guardians and a question of rights", Herald leader, September 4).
Glib declarations that all is well from Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority are notably unaccompanied by evidence. Neither body appears mature enough to offer a credible corporate view.
You highlight the number of self-investigations into allegations of assault made against police officers as being the potential legal time bomb. That is only part of the problem. If one were to make a complaint to the former Strathclyde Police that one of its officers may have attempted to pervert the course of justice, that force would take absolute control of the entire complaint.
Matters are now arguably worse than before April. Previously one had the option - in theory at least - of referring to another force. Now, with the dawning of Police Scotland, a complaint about a Scottish police officer will inevitably be handled by their own colleagues.
Suggestions that the existence of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner or the Scottish Police Authority cure this legal ill are at best weak and at worst misleading: their existence is a mere paper gesture to deal with the underlying problem. Neither is equipped in terms of resources to handle the complexities inherent in such matters. Further, they are staffed by many ex-police personnel already in receipt of generous police pensions.
We will look back on the present situation and wonder how this situation arose.
Allan C Steele,
22 Forres Avenue, Giffnock.
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