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Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Primary Inspection 2002
1. Leadership
Background
1.1 Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary is Scotland's smallest police force with 471 police personnel and 261 support staff. Its boundaries are coterminous with Dumfries and Galloway Council. The force serves a population of 147,000 people. In a recent national survey the area was named the best place to live in Britain.
1.2 Dumfries and Stranraer are the main centres of population with many other small towns and villages across the area. Major road and rail routes and the ferry ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan add significantly to the policing challenges.
1.3 HMIC wishes to pay tribute to the manner in which the force investigated the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988 and provided security for the trial held at The Scottish Court in the Netherlands and the subsequent appeal process. These events presented the Scottish police service, and in particular Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, with a unique challenge which the service and the force have risen to with commendable professionalism.
1.4 HMIC also commends the force on the manner in which it contributed to the local handling of the foot and mouth disease outbreak which was first detected in the region in February 2001. The disease had a devastating impact on the farming community and placed exceptional demands upon the police. The force at all levels worked closely with personnel from the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department and Dumfries and Galloway Council to contain and eradicate the disease.
1.5 However, HMIC notes concerns surrounding the conduct of a police officer who was convicted of serious sexual offences and sentenced to imprisonment. This has placed a particular obligation on the force in terms of public reassurance in reviewing procedures to establish more open and accessible arrangements for the recording of complaints which merits wider consideration.
1.6 Against this demanding background, in 2001 the force has also had to contend with 7 major investigations into serious crime. In the context of rural policing this placed a significant heavy workload upon force personnel.
Force Structure
1.7 The force is divided into 2 operational divisions, Dumfries to the east and Galloway in the west. The policing area of Dumfries and Galloway was temporarily extended to include Kamp van Zeist in the Netherlands. This former military base has been treated as Scottish territory and policed by the force assisted by officers from all Scottish forces and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
1.8 Recently both Mobile Support Group (MSG) officers and divisional Crime Management Services (CMS) officers have been devolved to the control of divisional commanders. Responsibility for operational policing lies with the Chief Superintendent Operational Services who manages the force control room, community services, emergency planning, communications and information services plus the 2 divisional command areas.
Senior Management
1.9 Mr David Strang, Chief Constable, commenced with the force in August 2001. He is supported by the Deputy Chief Constable, Mr Bob Ovens who was appointed in January 2001. They are assisted in managing the force by the Chief Superintendent Operational Services and the 2 Divisional Commanders, a Detective Chief Superintendent, the Detective Superintendent CMS, a Superintendent Corporate Services and the Finance Officer.
1.10 The force has a decision making structure based primarily round the Policy Group which is made up of all of the officers listed above. It therefore includes a wide spectrum of expertise and broad representation across the force. In addition the force has a morning operational meeting where video link is used. This meeting is chaired by the Chief Constable or Deputy Chief Constable and includes the Chief Superintendent Operational Services, Divisional Commanders and the Detective Superintendent CMS.
Dumfries and Galloway Police Authority
1.11 An excellent working relationship exists with the police authority which is Dumfries and Galloway Council. An example of the level of involvement is that the Chief Constable attends meetings of the Executive Committee and is readily involved in ad hoc groups formed to consider particular issues. Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary is also represented on the local authority senior management team at which ideas can be exchanged and joint initiatives progressed with the heads of the council services. Joint training is also undertaken between the local authority and the police during table top exercises and joint training for police officers and social workers. HMIC recognises the value of a close and positive working relationship between the Chief Constable and Police, Fire and Public Protection Committee (PFPPC) of the local authority for the delivery of effective policing.
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