THE MAN in charge of policing in Perth and Kinross says he is confident the new force will deliver a “high-class” service when Tayside Police ceases in April.
That will be the date when Scotland has a new single police force and Superintendent Jim Leslie, who is in charge of uniform policing in Perth and Kinross, told The Courier that it will be the “most challenging and exciting change” the police service has ever faced.
Police forces throughout Scotland have been preparing for the change in April and Mr Leslie said his officers have already started planning ahead.
However, he wanted to stress that he feels the communities of Perth and Kinross will still receive a good service.
“We are entering a new era but I’m confident we will continue to deliver a high-class service to the citizens of Perth and Kinross within the structure of the new police service for Scotland,” he said.
“We now have the new chief and his deputies appointed. This has allowed a lot of workstreams to move on and things are really starting to come together in terms of the structure.
“Whilst final decisions have still to be made, there will still be a senior area commander for Perth and Kinross.
“The focus of the new service will give service delivery to our communities, and this will be delivered by the same number of officers that are currently based here, albeit the structures to support that will be changed.
“It is probably the most challenging and exciting change that the police service has ever faced and I’m certainly looking forward to supporting the change and ensuring that the standards that have been established over many years are continued.”
Western Division has already been replaced by Perth and Kinross local policing area, which will be part of a division that will form part of the Northern Region.
The areas that are now covered by Northern, Grampian and Tayside will become a single division, and Tayside Police will no longer exist.
Mr Leslie added: “The local policing areas will mirror local authority areas and that will provide a good framework to develop and improve our existing partnership working 1975 was the last time we went through such a big change.
“Over the years the force has reduced and always performance has continued to manage service delivery and I’ve no reason to believe that this change will be any different.”
He outlined how police in Perth and Kinross will receive more help from outside forces during major incidents.
“In terms of major inquiries, we have always called on officers from across the force. That will continue.
“However, there are likely to be national teams who will specialise in major investigations, that will come in and provide additional support. So the options open to us in terms of investigation of major incidents will be greater than ever before.”
Mr Leslie stated that he is keen to allay any fears Perthshire residents have about the new single force, saying: “We absolutely understand that there will be some members of the public who will have concerns and worries about what the changes will bring.
“As with the move from three divisions to one division in Tayside, our aim is to ensure that there is a seamless transition, with no visual impact to the public in terms of the service they receive.
“We are currently developing the policing plan and we will consult on that early in the new year. That will allow the public the opportunity to influence the priorities across Perth and Kinross.
“There will be options online, roadshows. We are very keen to consult as widely as we can.”
preoch@thecourier.co.uk