Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has challenged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to say if she backs Chief Constable Sir Stephen House after Police Scotland continued to be embroiled in the latest controversy over stop and search.
It comes after a robust session of Holyrood’s policing subcommittee, where MSPs questioned the Sir Stephen on his handling of inaccurate stop and search data.
Speaking at the Scottish Liberal Democrat South of Scotland conference today Mr Rennie said: "The SNP in the Scottish Government are ducking responsibility for the shambles that is the leadership of Scotland's police.
"SNP ministers created the single force. They drew up the framework which created a powerful Chief Constable to head up the UK’s second largest force after the Metropolitan police. It was Kenny MacAskill who appointed Stephen House to the job.
"It was SNP ministers who stood on the side of the Chief Constable to hand him even more control after a power struggle with the SPA. They have defended him and now they are silent.
"On Thursday I asked Nicola Sturgeon for her opinion on the continued chaos. She dodged and she ducked. She refused to provide her full confidence in the Chief Constable.
"Scottish Liberal Democrats warned of the impending disaster when we opposed the single, centralised force. We take no pleasure from seeing our worst fears realised. Communities and frontline officers have been let down badly by the SNP’s centralisation agenda.
"This isn’t just about the handling over stop and search. It’s about the use of armed police on routine duties, the closure of police counters, the targets culture identified by the SPF, the one-size fits all Strathclyde approach.
"Now is the time for the First Minister to be clear. Does she back Stephen House, or not?
"After all, this is her government’s mess. She should take responsibility, and tell us what she is going to do to clean it up."
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