THE CHIEF Constable of Police Scotland has hit back at claims the force hasn’t prioritised the safety of officers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), the union representing police officers, told MSPs on Holyrood’s justice sub-committee on policing that “the greatest challenge for the police service right now is one of complacency”.
Calum Steele, the SPF general secretary, added: “Whether in communities leading to greater policing demand as restrictions are re-imposed, or within the police service itself, where carelessness over organisational and personal responsibilities are allowed to slip, complacency is a significant risk.”
In his written evidence to MSPs, Mr Steele also addressed new powers handed over to police to break-up house parties.
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He said: “It is now more obvious than ever that the risk of transmission of the virus at such events is considerable. It is our view this was always blindingly obvious.
“Up till this point, the service has failed to acknowledge our concerns on this matter and particularly in respect of adequate PPE.”
Margaret Michell, the committee’s vice convener, quizzed Police Scotland’s chief constable, Iain Livingstone, over the concerns when he appeared in front of MSPs.
Ms Mitchell said: “It seems to me that the priority, which has not been prioritised as it should be, is the one that the health, safety and wellbeing of officers and staff and their family is protected during this pandemic.
“Do you agree that it’s hard to say that isn’t an accurate assessment?”
Mr Livingstone labelled Ms Mitchell’s interpretation as “a wholly inaccurate assessment”.
He said: “I think right from the outset, we know that policing is a challenging job, we know that the work that we have done with staff associations, with trade unions, the ability to access and allocate full PPE at a very early stage in many ways put the police ahead of other sectors.
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“I don’t think that’s a fair narration from the Scottish Police Federation.”
He added: “What I have always sought to do is to minimise and to mitigate risk – we've always followed the best practice we’ve had from Health Protection Scotland, from the Health and Safety Executive.
“The concerns of those in the Scottish Police Federation executive are absolutely held in good faith and they raise them in a robust manner.
“As chief constable and as the senior constable in the organisation, any suggestion that I don’t take the safety and wellbeing of officers, staff and their families extremely seriously, I don’t accept.”
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