A Montrose councillor has called for the local authority to have a greater role in local policing.
David May is concerned the force is not being subjected to proper democratic scrutiny at national level.
He is backing a Reform Scotland report which called for a greater role for councils in Scottish policing in a bid to increase local accountability.
Reform Scotland put together a briefing paper based on its response to a government consultation on strategies for the country’s police force.
It called for the return of council funding for the police along with reforms to local government.
“I agree with the Reform Scotland think tank which called for a greater role for councils in Scottish policing,” said Mr May.
“More local accountability is needed as it is certainly not working at national level.
“Local Angus issues and priorities are needed to be identified and implemented more than ever.”
The Scottish Government’s police reforms saw the eight old regional forces merged into Police Scotland and the scrapping of the joint police boards.
Mr May said he was calling on Police Scotland to implement the think tank’s briefing paper as soon as possible.
However, the Scottish government insisted that the “long-standing principle” of police being accountable to the Scottish Police Authority and communities rather than politicians was the right one.
A spokesman added: “Despite the inevitable challenges of implementing the most significant public sector reform in Scotland since devolution – which was backed by cross-party support across the Scottish Parliament – policing continues to perform excellently.
“Recorded crime in Scotland is at a 41-year low, with violent crime down by more than half since 2006-07.
“The Scottish government has already commissioned a review of governance from the chair of the SPA which was published in March, setting out 30 recommendations for further strengthening oversight of policing and we are working closely with SPA to deliver on these.”
