MSP demands review of police practice

Central Scotland Conservative list MSP Margaret Mitchell is backing her party’s call for a full review of how Police Scotland is monitored.
Margaret Mitchell MSPMargaret Mitchell MSP
Margaret Mitchell MSP

She says this follows revelations that hundreds of children are being stop and searched – despite one senior police chief telling MSPs last year that the practice was “indefensible”.

Mrs Mitchell, the party’s justice spokeswoman, said: “The police do a tough job and it’s my instinct always to back them in their job, but the police need to have the consent of the community to carry out the work that they do.”

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“I welcome the fact that the First Minister has acted to look at what is going on here. but the question is why was this allowed to happen in the first place?”

“It is outrageous that a senior police officer should tell MSPs that an ‘indefensible’ practice would stop, and then carry on as before.”

“First people see armed police officers carrying weapons around the streets and in shopping malls.

“Then, despite the police having described it as “indefensible”, we discover they are still ordering ordinary officers to search primary school children as before.”

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She added: “It’s not good enough for the Scottish Police Authority to act after the event.

“We were told when Police Scotland was set up that the SPA would hold it to account.

“Well, the evidence suggests that’s not happening.”