A Scottish Parliament committee is reviewing the service delivered by Police Scotland and the Fire and Rescue Service. The Justice committee would like to know what you think about the service.

The Orkney News has covered Police Scotland in a previous article: “Good Even’n’ All”: Police Scotland.

Both services were modernised with the Police and Fire Reform Act being passed in 2012. Police Scotland and The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service came into being in 2013.

The three main policy intentions were:

• To protect and improve local services despite financial cuts, by stopping duplication of support services eight times over and not cutting front line services
• To create more equal access to specialist support and national capacity – like murder investigation teams, firearms teams or flood rescue – where and when they are needed
• To strengthen the connection between services and communities, by creating a new formal relationship with each of the 32 local authorities, involving many more local councillors and better integrating with community planning partnerships.

The Justice Committee is examining if these policy intentions have been achieved.

Since the modernisation the Fire and Rescue Service has had new headquarters built in Aberdeen and a new control centre in Dundee. It is the largest single Fire and Rescue Service in the UK and has a workforce of 8,000.

SFRS: it’s about a lot more than fires Photo ScotGov

A large part of the work of the Fire and Rescue Service in the 21st C is in Fire Prevention and they have made  335,000 home fire safety visits and installed over 270,000 smoke alarms. Anyone can ask for a home safety visit. Fire Safety Higher Standards for all Homes

Police Scotland’s monthly briefing can be read here: Monthly Safer Communities and Justice Brief  which shows that recorded crime is now at its lowest level since 1974. The number of Police officers is also at a stable level.

Police Numbers in Scotland An Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

If you would like to respond to the Justice Committee’s consultation it is open until Thursday 24th May.

The Justice Committee has a series of questions you can frame your response around but you need not be limited by those.

Police service

1. In your view, what have been the consequences of the 2012 Act for the police service? Please set out your views on (a) any benefits and (b) any negative consequences of the 2012 Act for the police service.

2. Have the policy intentions of the 2012 Act in relation to the police service been met?

Fire and rescue service

3. In your view, what have been the consequences of the 2012 Act for the fire and rescue service? Please set out your views on (a) any benefits and (b) any negative consequences of the 2012 Act for the fire and rescue service.

4. Have the policy intentions of the 2012 Act in relation to the fire and rescue service been met?

Other issues

5. Are there any other issues you would like to raise in connection with the operation of the 2012 Act?

How to send in your response

Evidence should be submitted in electronic format (preferably in MS Word) by email to: justicecommittee@parliament.scot

Or by a hard copy  to:

Clerk to the Justice Committee

The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh EH99 1SP