Leader to raise concerns with Chief Constable

Leader of The Highland Council, Margaret Davidson will be meeting with Chief Constable Phil Gormley tomorrow.

Councillor Davidson will be raising the issue of the future of the Police Control Room and Police Scotland’s plans for the National Database Enquiry Unit (NDEU).

She said: “I will be meeting Chief Constable Gormley tomorrow to discuss these matters on his first visit to meet me at The Highland Council since his appointment.”

 “I am extremely concerned about the doubts hanging over the future of Inverness as the centre for Police Scotland’s NDEU.  ACC Hawkins confirmed at a recent meeting that there is no longer the intention for the Unit to serve the whole of Scotland and there will be fewer jobs. This change in position is completely unacceptable. There has been no consultation and no public engagement on this matter. We have not been given copies of papers referring to the alternative options and decisions seem to have been taken in closed SPA meetings.”

She continued: “I have also written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael Matheson, to express the Council’s concerns.  I have urged the Justice Secretary to reconsider the current plans and put a hold on any changes until genuine consultation has taken place and all the evidence reviewed."