Police Operations Probe

A Fife MSP is urging the Justice Secretary to back an independent review into Police Scotland's operations.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says officers are struggling due to huge workload pressures, while it's claimed morale is at rock bottom.

Michael Matheson has asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland to review the call handling procedure.

It's after it emerged officers took three days to respond to a crashed car seen off the M9. The couple inside, John Yuill and Lamara Bell, both died.

Mr Rennie said: "This announcement is welcome, as far as it goes. Clearly there were failures in the way that this call was handled and it is right that we look closely at the processes around call handling. With serving officers and others raising concerns over the changes that we have seen within control rooms this is the least that should be expected. 

"But with reports of police officers backfilling civilian posts, huge workload pressures and morale at rock bottom there is a strong case for a wider independent review. I hope that the Justice Secretary will listen to the arguments of the growing number of people seeking a proper assessment of Police Scotland's operations."

Meanwhile, Mr Matheson says he still has confidence in Police Scotland's Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, that's despite pressure from Scottish Labour's Acting Leader Iain Gray. He says the Chief Constable must consider his position in light of the M9 crash tragedy. He added that the Justice Minister must also wake up to the problems at the heart of Police Scotland following the creation of the single police force.
 
Mr Gray said: "The awful circumstances of the deaths of Lamara Bell and John Yuill are first and foremost a human tragedy. The primary concern of everybody should be with the loved ones of Ms Bell and Mr Yuill. Their pain will be unimaginable. 
 
"There are, however, wider implications for policing in Scotland. We do not yet know all of the specific details about the incident, but we know enough to recognise that something has gone badly wrong. 
 
"It appears that as horrific as this case is it was sadly only a matter of time before something like this happened because of the problems at the heart of Police Scotland. Those problems are systemic and go well beyond this single incident.
 
"The Scottish Government and Police Scotland have together presided over cuts to services, the loss of civilian police staff, and a lack of transparency over stop and search and armed policing. In addition, there are regular concerns raised about the general culture that exists at Police Scotland.  Again and again these problems have been raised in Parliament, only to have the Scottish Government dismiss concerns.  This cannot go on.
 
"The Justice Minister must get a grip on the problems at the heart of policing in Scotland that have been caused by decisions made by the Scottish Government since the creation of the single police force. An inquiry into call handling is welcome, but somebody must take responsibility and something must change. 
 
"It's clear from his radio interview this morning that Michael Matheson is the only person in Scotland who still has confidence in the Chief Constable. The public’s faith in Police Scotland is now badly shaken, and in light of that Sir Stephen House must seriously consider his position. However, the resignation of the Chief Constable wouldn’t be enough to fix the problems in Police Scotland. That can only happen if the Justice Minister recognises his responsibility too."