Scotland’s Chief Constable Only Visits 36 Police Stations Since October 2023
The chief constable of Police Scotland, Jo Farrell, has raised eyebrows by visiting just 36 police stations since assuming her role 15 months ago. This equates to approximately 15.8% of the police stations under her jurisdiction. However, a recent investigation by The Herald has revealed that swathes of communities across the country have been left untouched by Ms. Farrell since she took over from Sir Iain Livingstone as Scotland’s top police officer.
The Visits
Ms. Farrell made a total of 79 visits to these 36 police stations, leaving roughly 190 community stations unvisited. While some of these visits were related to scheduled events or specific trips to meet officers, staff, and volunteers, Police Scotland has argued that there were many impromptu visits that were not formally recorded. This revelation comes at a time when the closure of 29 police stations across the country is being considered.
Geographic Distribution
In her visits, Ms. Farrell made a notable number of appearances in Glasgow, visiting 23 police stations in the city. She also frequented Scotland’s Crime Campus in Gartcosh, as well as Police Scotland headquarters in Dalmarnock and Govan station. Notably, she visited Fettes and St Leonards police stations in Scotland’s capital city a total of 16 times.
Diversity in Visits
However, some areas have seen minimal attention from the Chief Constable. For instance, only one station in the North East, Nigg police station in Aberdeen, was visited twice. Argyll and Bute, along with Fife, had only one station each visited. Similarly, Highland, Shetland, and Orkney each received just one visit.
Chief Constable’s Response
In response to these findings, Ms. Farrell emphasized the importance of meeting with officers, staff, and volunteers across Scotland. She expressed her admiration for the dedication and professionalism of her colleagues. Despite the scrutiny, she remains committed to making more visits in the coming year and engaging with communities from various regions.
The future of the policing estate remains uncertain, with discussions about the closure of several stations ongoing. Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham has highlighted the urgent need for changes, describing the current police estate as “no longer fit for purpose.” As the debate continues, the public awaits further developments in the policing landscape of Scotland.