This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New proposals to support the police
09/02/2005
A range of new measures to support the police in the
fight against crime and better protect communities across
Scotland were unveiled today.
The proposals, set out in the consultation paper,
Supporting
police, protecting communities(pdf), include:
- Bringing in new measures to tackle knife crime
including doubling the maximum penalty for carrying a
knife in public from two to four years, giving the
police the unconditional power to arrest someone
suspected of carrying a knife, and increasing the
minimum age for buying a knife from 16 to 18.
- Introducing football banning orders to tackle
football related violence or the incitement of
sectarianism, racism or other hatred, at grounds and
other flashpoints before and after games.
- Encouraging those accused of crimes to give
information and evidence to the police and prosecutors
about others involved in serious and organised crime,
in return for reduced sentences.
- Introducing mandatory drug testing and referral,
upon arrest, for anyone aged 16 or over suspected of a
drugs or drugs-related offence, to encourage them into
treatment, reduce their levels of drug dependence and
tackle drug-related crime.
- Establishing a new independent body to investigate
non-criminal complaints against the police and ensure
Scotland has a modern, transparent complaints
system.
- Bringing together common police services such as
the Scottish Police College and the Scottish Criminal
Record Office, along with the Scottish Drug Enforcement
Agency into a single authority, to ensure services are
delivered effectively and efficiently, and to improve
accountability
It also includes a range of proposals to improve the way
decisions are taken on marches and parades in line with the
recommendations in Sir John Orr's review of marches and
parades, published last month.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"Scotland has an excellent police service and we have
continued to invest to ensure we have a record number of
officers to support that service. However, as well as
providing resources, the police must have appropriate
powers to protect communities and meet the ever changing
nature of crime.
"Today, I am outlining a range of new proposals which
will support officers in the challenges they face. Some
reforms, including strengthening the role and remit of the
Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, will help us deal with
the threat posed by serious and organised crime. Others
such as football banning orders and measures to tackle
knife crime, will help us address the impact of violence
and disorder on our streets.
"We are also bringing forward a range of practical
measures to assist the police in their day to day work. We
plan to give them the power to take finger prints while out
on the beat - once the new technology is available - and
increase the police's powers of arrest for those they
believe are carrying a knife in public.
"However, as well as increasing police powers we are
increasing accountability. The consultation paper takes
forward our pledge to create an independent police
complaints body that will have a wide ranging remit,
including the power to ensure rigorous oversight of the way
all non-criminal complaints from the public against the
police are handled. We also propose creating a new
structure for managing common police services to make these
services more accountable to Ministers, Parliament and the
public, increase their efficiency and effectiveness, and
ensure any savings made are targeted towards frontline
policing.
"Overall, I believe these proposals will be of
substantial benefit to the police and public. They will
ensure the service has the tools as well as the resources
to meet the challenges of modern policing so that it can
continue to deliver a high level of service to communities
and we reduce not just people's experience of crime but
also their fear of crime."
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland
welcomed the publication of the consultation document.
Chief Constable David Strang, President of ACPOS, said:
"The core purpose of policing is to protect communities
from those who would damage or destroy them. The police
service is committed to making Scotland a safer place for
individuals and for wider communities.
"The Police Service in Scotland enjoys a high level of
support from the public. The measures proposed in this
consultation paper will further support the police in the
important work they do. The proposals will enhance the
ability of the police to deal with crimes at both a local
and a national level.
"We look forward to contributing to the consultation
process in the coming months."
In some cases we have already consulted on issues to be
included in the legislation, for example police complaints,
and in those cases we have set out specific plans. In other
cases, the Executive is outlining proposals for the first
time and is requesting detailed responses.
The consultation will last until May 4, 2005 and will
pave the way for new legislation to strengthen and improve
policing and law enforcement in Scotland.
In November, the First Minister announced a five point
plan to tackle knife crime. Today's publication will see
the Executive consult on three elements of this -
increasing the penalty for possession of a knife in public,
increasing the use of existing stop and search powers by
the police and enhancing police powers of arrest to include
suspicion of carrying a knife, and increasing the minimum
age for buying a knife. The Executive will consult on the
two further elements to the plan - introducing a licensing
scheme for the sale of non-domestic knives and banning the
sale of swords - later in the year.