200 people respond to armed policing inquiry

A review into armed policing in Scotland has attracted almost 200 responses from individuals and groups wishing to express their view on Police Scotland’s decision to arm 275 police officers.

Last month, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) sent questionnaires to more than 350 groups to gauge the nature of public concern over the change to the style of British policing. Members of the public were also invited to submit their views.

The SPA, which was set up in March 2013 to hold Chief Constable Sir Stephen House to account, wants to know how much consideration the single police force gave to local communities when it changed the rules and introduced a Standing Fire Arms Authority in April 2013. Previously, guns were locked in a cabinet in the boot of patrol cars. The controversial new ruling did not come to light until June of this year.

Iain Whyte, SPA board member and scrutiny inquiry chairman, said the inquiry’s call for evidence had now closed.

He said: "Our aim was to ensure that those bodies who had expressed views on the community impact of the standing firearms authority, especially those representing communities or key communities of interest, have the opportunity to have their say directly. SPA members welcome the opportunity to hear directly from interested parties, particularly on the wider lessons that might be learnt around future engagement and consultation on policing policies with wider community impacts."

The body is holding public evidence sessions in Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh as part of its inquiry.

The Inverness session will take place on Friday, November 14th, from 11am to 5pm, in the Skinner Room, Merkinch Community Centre, Coronation Park.

Mr Whyte said the public evidence sessions, together with written submissions and commissioned survey work, will inform the SPA’s final report and recommendations, which will be presented to a meeting of the authority in East Renfrewshire on December 17th.

Anyone can attend to witness the Inverness session, but, given the size limitations of the venue, all meetings will be available to view on a livestream website at http://new.livestream.com/accounts/5307060/

SPA’s scrutiny inquiry was rolled-out at the same time as a separate review into armed policing, which was launched by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Scotland (HMICS).

The SPA will draw together both bodies of evidence and will report findings and recommendations to the authority’s public meeting on December 17th.

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