Call for Single Police Force for Scotland HQ to be in Perth or Dundee

On Monday morning I attended a meeting of the Tayside Joint Police Board. This was the last but one meeting of the Board because the Scottish Government has decided to proceed with a single Police force for Scotland from 1st April 2013. On that date, the current eight regional police forces will have their powers transferred to the new national body taking shape.

While the senior management team for Police Scotland have been appointed, one key decision yet to the resolved is the location of the Headquarters.

At our meeting in Perth, it was unanimously agreed that the Convener of the board, should write to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill MSP, urging him to select Dundee or Perth as the HQ site for the Single Police Service for Scotland. Apart from both cities offering central locations and good public transport links, it was thought important to reassure the public throughout Scotland that the new Single Police Service for Scotland was not just Strathclyde Police with the rest of the country thrown in. Locating the HQ outside Edinburgh and Glasgow would help convey reassurance on that score.