IT IS ironic that Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley should find himself on the front pages when brought in to deliver the opposite. He was hired to provide some calm following controversies, from armed policing to the M9 deaths, in which his predecessor had become the story, even if the merciless political criticism of Sir Stephen House was grossly unfair.
To be fair to Mr Gormley, he has by and large steadied the ship and provided reassurance to both public and politicians. There have been some unfortunate human errors but that happens in all walks of life; in policing it can have greater consequences.
Due process is being followed and nothing further should be read into the investigation by the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner (Pirc). Mr Gormley has had a distinguished career and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to which he’s accountable has no investigative machinery.
Given his post and the gravity of the allegation, it’s rightly being examined. However, the SPA has concluded that it’s insufficient to warrant his immediate suspension; nor will Mr Gormley interfere with the investigation. However, the travails of Police Scotland are more than the present story about its chief constable.
A financial hole has appeared partly through additional pressures such as terrorism and historical sexual abuse; also through the collapse of an IT system on which significant savings had been predicated. In that Police Scotland is no more to blame than other private and public organisations that have seen grandiose schemes collapse. It’s compounded by the Treasury’s perverse and political intransigence on VAT liability.
That said, most beleaguered health boards or local authorities would gladly swap their challenges for those of Police Scotland. Also, it’s in a far better position than its sister forces south of the Border, where officer numbers have plummeted and crime has risen.
But as well as a financial hole there’s a leadership gap appearing. The chairman of the SPA has resigned in inglorious circumstances and the senior Deputy Chief Constable, Iain Livingstone, is retiring. He was viewed as Mr Gormley’s likely successor but, with other senior officers going or gone, the leadership team is stretched.
It’s time for the Scottish Government, which has distanced itself recently, to show greater support for the service, and for opposition MSPs to cease grandstanding and political point scoring. Despite the issue and the challenges, the service provided to the public remains remarkable.
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