Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell has reiterated his reservations about the impact of a single Scottish Police Force on Dumfries and Galloway. Following a debate in the Scottish Parliament last week the local MP said that: “The area could lose out from a lack of local accountability and a police service no longer focused on the complex needs of this area.”
Mr Mundell urged members of the Scottish Parliament to reject the new police arrangements unless they could get assurances that policing provision in Dumfries and Galloway would not suffer as a result of the new arrangement.
Mr Mundell added: “I am very disappointed with the proposal that the SNP Government has brought forward. It will clearly lead to a reduction in the quality and accountability of policing we have locally. It will only make the important job the Dumfries and Galloway Force does more difficult.
“In this distinct rural area we have our own specific needs, and police provision must be geared towards those needs. This proposal has all the signs of a cost cutting exercise rather than one to improve services locally.
“I remain very concerned that we will see officers and other resources sucked out of this area and into the central belt. Our communities need proactive local policing to keep crime rates down and makes sure we all feel safe on the street and in our homes. I am not satisfied that the new arrangements will improve the situation locally and will most likely result in a reduced service. I urge members of the Scottish Parliament not to vote for something which would make policing less effective in any part of Scotland.”