Scottish Conservatives have claimed to be the only party to have produced a fully costed document outlining their spending plans for the next four years, and have pledged to retain the 1000 extra police numbers that that they gained from the Scottish Government in the last parliament.
John Lamont, Scottish Conservative Justice Spokesperson, said:
“Our police reform plans do not include any reduction in officer numbers. We have been able to guarantee this in our comprehensive and fully costed four year spending plan.
“There is a growing consensus, partly driven by the financial pressures of Labour’s debt legacy, that the current structure for our police is unsustainable and that fewer police forces are inevitable.
“The key to any reform is not just financial efficiency, it is retaining local connections and accountability – local community policing for local communities. So if there are to be fewer forces, or even just one force, we will replace Police Boards with elected local Police Commissioners, each covering a local area.
“Whatever changes take place, we are completely committed to retaining the 1,000 extra police numbers we forced through in the last parliament and have made provision for this in our comprehensive four year spending plan.”
Want to discuss other issues? Join in the debate on our new Scottish Voices forum
Scottish Conservatives also want a package of measures to cut drug abuse in prison, which will lead to better rehabilitation and a reduction in reoffending. Speaking outside Perth Prison, Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader, said: “So much crime in Scotland is fuelled by drugs. We know that for every £1 spent on drug rehabilitation, almost £10 is saved in policing, court, healthcare and other social costs. Scottish Conservatives worked relentlessly to create a new national drugs strategy, based on recovery and leading to abstinence. “We also want tougher measures to crack down on drug abuse in our jails but at the moment this is not happening. Last year Scottish Conservatives revealed a 37 per cent rise in the number of prisoners being prescribed methadone, with just one in five of those being given a reducing dose. So whilst some people might say it is a positive step that these prisoners are being taken off heroin and onto methadone, only 20 per cent of them are moving towards abstinence. “Scottish Conservatives want all prisoners to be subjected to a drugs test upon their arrival in jail and subject to random drug testing thereafter. This testing must be comprehensive, robust and consistent. “In addition to the screening of all visitors, we also want drug free wings in every institution where prisoners who want to come off drugs can be removed from the availability and the temptation of drugs. In prison and outside, we will institute a national review on the implementation of the national drugs strategy. “It is common sense to pursue these measures because they would mean lower re-offending, less crime and a safer prison environment. It will be good for addicts, good for their families and good for society as a whole. Every voter in every seat in every region of Scotland can vote for these common sense policies on 5 May.”Related posts: