Scottish Liberal Democrats respond to Chief Constable departure

Responding to the news that the Chief Constable of Police Scotland Sir Iain Livingstone is to retire in the summer, while warning in a report that the position the police have been put in is “unsustainable”, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: 

“Sir Iain Livingstone deserves thanks for his service and dedication to leading Scotland’s police service. He was always approachable and I wish him well for the future. 

“The rate at which Chief Constables and police authority bosses have come and gone over the past decade points to much deeper issues. 

“Problems are hardwired into the structures of Scottish policing as a result of the SNP's botched centralisation. Ministerial distraction has added to their burden. 

“The police are picking up the pieces of the mental health crisis because NHS services are overwhelmed. We need to recruit a legion of specialist mental health staff to work alongside the police to get people the expert help they need, enabling officers to focus on fighting crime instead of being social workers of last resort. 

“It is time to inject accountability and localism back into policing, transform mental health services, and scrap plans that would repeat the mistakes of centralisation in social care.”