Rise in Tayside Police complaints is explained

Jul 4 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE Tory Group leader on Perth and Kinross Council yesterday voiced concerns at the six per cent. rise in the number of complaints recorded against Tayside Police over the past year.

Councillor Alexander Stewart, who is also a member of Tayside Joint Police Board, acknowledged that the rise was partly due to a change in the recording of procedures.

Quality of service complaints were now being formally included in complaints statistics for the first time.

But he added: “One of the main visions for Tayside Police is to ensure that contact with officers, for any reason, whether a victim, a witness or a suspect, should be met with a constant high quality of service.

“It is obvious that in some instances this has not occurred. I believe that it is only right and proper that there is a robust complaints procedure in place and that if individuals believe they have not been treated with dignity, respect or due diligence, they should feel confident in taking a complaint forward.

“I have the privilege of being one of the board members who sits on the complaints sub-committee and I regularly have the opportunity to view complaints received.

“During the last year, Deputy Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson has attended all meetings of the Sub- Committee and has instigated the development of new practices and procedures to ensure that officers are suitably equipped to deal with difficult situations.

“Now that Mr Mathieson has been appointed as the Chief Constable, I have no doubt that he will continue to take forward and continue to improve the complaints procedures.”

Councillor Stewart welcomed “many of the positives” that appeared in previous Chief Constable John Vine’s annual report for 2007/2008.

Once again, there had been an overall reduction in the number of crimes, with some real successes in drug-busting operations.