Top lawyer among reference group to review police accountability

Other members of the group unveiled by Andrew Flanagan, chairman of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) include Moi Ali, formerly Scotland’s first Judicial Complaints Reviewer who resigned over the fact the role was, in her opinion, toothless and badly funded.

The remaining appointees include: Margaret Kennedy, chair of Fife Council’s Safer Communities Committee; Professor Nick Fyfe, director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR); Pat Watters, former president of council umbrella body COSLA; SPA chief executive John Foley and SPA board member David Hume.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson gave Mr Flanagan the task of setting up a review of police governance two months ago after he replaced former chairman Vic Emery.

The reference group will meet for the first time later this month, with the chair expected to report in March.

Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson, who recently completed a critical review of Police Scotland, said: “The SPA is supposed to be a tough watchdog for policing in Scotland but in reality it has been a timid lapdog for years.

“There is pressure on this review to really speak truth to power and clarify what is going wrong in our police force.

“It is disappointing that it has taken two months since this review was announced for members of the panel to be revealed.”

He added: “There has been a crisis of confidence in Scottish policing and the last thing the authorities need now is the perception that they are dragging their heels.

“The SNP Justice Minister should be questioning why it has taken so long to set this review up, and be willing to answer for the choices the SNP government in Edinburgh have made.”