Latest news with #RobHay
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Stop policing the internet and get back on the beat, Scotland's officers are urged
Police officers need to stop 'wasting their time' probing social media posts and get back on the streets to deter crime, a senior officer said yesterday. Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS), said it was not the job of police to intervene when people were offended by posts on X and other platforms. He said unless a crime was suspected officers should be 'nowhere near' social media and must get back into the community to prevent and fight crime. Mr Hay has previously warned that police must be 'pacifists in the culture war' and stay away from the 'divisive, political and toxic nature of some of the debate raging in wider society '. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'The public are crying out for more police on the beat after years of SNP cuts to officer numbers. 'The SNP's misguided priorities have seen valuable police time taken up with laws like Humza Yousaf's reckless Hate Crime Act, which have left them unable to respond to every crime. 'Ministers should show some common sense and listen to these calls - and let officers fight crime and protect our communities.' Mr Hay, who addressed delegates at the ASPS annual conference in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, told the Mail: 'I certainly think social media is a terrible environment where there's a lot of toxic stuff - but is it criminal? 'That is always the question that we would ask – does it reach that threshold? 'If it doesn't reach that threshold, we should be nowhere near it. 'So whether or not you are offended by a comment isn't necessarily what makes it a criminal offence. 'There's a threshold there that needs to be met and if it doesn't we should be nowhere near it – we shouldn't be wasting our time.' Instead Mr Hay, who previously warned that police must be 'pacifists in the culture war', said there should be a renewed drive to get officers back on the beat amid concern that police have withdrawn from communities, as manpower declines and stations are shut down or sold off. He said: 'Something that's always been distinct in Scottish policing is that we are there in communities, and visible, and we absolutely need to invest in that area. 'We need to be a service that's close to people and not simply a uniform that they see driving past once in a while. 'If we invest in that way, I think we will see a much greater dividend in terms of community confidence. 'We will see much lower levels of violence because when it's 'Rob Hay, the local community cop', it's very different from when it's just a faceless uniform that turns up - it changes your relationship with the public. 'So being present and being visible in communities is an area that is essential for government and Police Scotland to invest in.' Last month, police chiefs were criticised by a watchdog for their handling of a row over an MSP whose mocking tweet about the Scottish Government's transgender policy was logged as a 'hate incident'. As the Mail revealed last year, a trans activist reported Murdo Fraser's post on X, formerly Twitter, but officers decided it was not a crime and should be classed as a 'hate incident' - even though no law had been broken. Looking at how police handled the MSP's complaints about the incident, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) said the force failed to rebut Mr Fraser's claim that he had been treated differently to JK Rowling and Humza Yousaf, the former First Minister, when they made contentious claims. On November 18, 2023, Tory MSP Mr Fraser shared a column written by Susan Dalgety for The Scotsman, which claimed the government's non-binary equality action plan would lead to children being 'damaged by this cult'. Commenting on the shared post, Mr Fraser said: 'Choosing to identify as 'non-binary' is as valid as choosing to identify as a cat.' In March, there was a row after a couple south of the Border were arrested over complaints they made about their daughter's primary school, which included comments on WhatsApp. Maxie Allen and his partner Rosalind Levine, from Borehamwood, said they were held for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications, and causing a nuisance on school property. Hertfordshire Police said the arrests 'were necessary to fully investigate the allegations' but there was 'insufficient evidence' to take any action. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged the 'enormity' of the challenges facing Police Scotland at a time of 'evolving threats and uncertainties'. But she said the 'reality' was that like the rest of the public sector, policing had to operate within a 'tight fiscal environment' and that the government was investing 'what (it) can'. She spoke after a speech by Mr Hay in which he warned of a 'risk to public safety' if the force does not get the 'investment it needs'. Ms Constance said: 'In recent years we have seen some of the toughest financial contexts that we've faced since devolution, with the financial crash, austerity, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, and we know that there are no quick fixes, that there are only hard choices.' Both the Justice Secretary and Chief Constable Jo Farrell, who also spoke at the event, set out a 'new model' of policing that they said would free up officers' time so they could prioritise frontline work, while also improving their wellbeing. Among the measures described, Ms Constance said the introduction of body-worn cameras had been a 'game-changer' in reducing pressure on officers, and that a pilot summary case management project had seen 11,000 fewer officers called to give evidence in court. In his address, the ASPS president had described policing in Scotland as being at a 'critical juncture', and asked that the Chief Constable not be forced to make the 'stark choice' between cutting pay or cutting police numbers. He welcomed the changes and initiatives being introduced to help the force work 'smarter, not harder', but said achieving them required a 'commensurate investment'. Mr Hay said: 'Eighty-seven per cent of our budget is on people. 'So making sure that the police officers are appropriately paid and compensated for the risks and limitations on their lifestyles as a result of the office they hold is absolutely key to making sure we've got a sustainable service, that we get really good people into policing - not just for now, but for next generation as well.' He said the force was calling for a pay rise 'similar' to the 8 per cent awarded last week to NHS workers in Scotland. Mr Hay said: 'I understand we're in a really challenging fiscal environment, but it's clear where the political will exists, the money can be found.' He also warned of an impending recruitment crisis, pointing out that 'around a quarter' of officers can retire in the next five years, and that Police Scotland was 'competing for a share of a shrinking working-age population in Scotland'.
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Revealed: Nation loses 800 officers since formation of Police Scotland
The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) has warned the force is "stretched to breaking" with the Chief Constable facing the prospect of having to "cannibalise" the service to hand hard working officers what it calls a "proper pay rise". It comes as a row brews over those supporting police officers pushing for a 4.5% pay increase for all pay points and all ranks for 2025/26. It includes a claim for a 15% pay restoration rise to make up for losses caused by inflation. But the negotiators have been told that meeting the claim would result in an estimated recurring costs of £186m - the equivalent of around 3,300 officers. It is understood that the official side comprising Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), and the Scottish Government, have already rejected any notion of a pay restoration rise. That had been described by the Scottish Police Federation as "unacceptable". And the association said: "It is a really important time for policing in Scotland, and there needs to be investment in the profession. We need to show police officers that we value the role that they play in society, because that's the only way we're going to continue to attract candidates that meet those exceptionally high standards of professional behaviour that we set for officers. "A recent report suggests that a quarter of officers with under five years' experience are considering leaving policing altogether, and many of them say that's due to financial stress. If we keep going like this we're going to lose the very people who should be the future of the service. The last thing we want is a flight of our top-calibre people as a result of a lack of investment in the service." Police Scotland (Image: Police Scotland) Scottish Police Federation sources have said that the cost of the claim "merely reflects years of real-terms pay erosion imposed on the workforce that has no right to strike". Last year police officers in Scotland withdrew goodwill in protest at a pay offer representatives said shows "contempt" for their work. Officers in Scotland are prohibited by law from taking industrial action or withdrawing labour, but the decision meant they would stop shifts at their scheduled time and not commence shifts early. The decision was made out of what the Scottish Police Federation said was "sheer disappointment" with a pay offer of 4.75%, compared to its request for a 5.7% increase. READ MORE by Martin Williams 'Mismanagement': Public cost of Ferguson Marine hits £750m amidst overspends 'Disrepair endemic': 100,000 Scots private rented homes not fit for human habitation Ministers rapped for 'complete failure' in Scots water body public spending scandal 'Lack of focus': Forbes anger over latest £35m costs hike of ferry fiasco vessel But in January the dispute was resolved with the intervention of arbitrators Acas. Today (Wednesday) the ASPS president Rob Hay will say at the police staff association's annual conference that while the number of police officers in Scotland is falling demand for them has not. And he says that Chief Constable Jo Farrell faces a 'Sophie's Choice' when it comes to the future of the service: reduce police officer numbers even further or cut police officer pay. He says that policing in Scotland needs more government investment, adding: 'Talks of a 'record policing budget' don't account for inflationary pressures, and the policing budget has not kept pace with the demands on the service either. 'How do I know that? It is no secret that the Chief Constable has spoken about the dilemma she faces in this year's pay negotiation. "Without assistance from the Scottish Government, the chief faces the stark choice of cannibalising the service to afford to offer a pay rise that is above inflation. Simply put: reduce police numbers or reduce pay. This is a choice no Chief Constable should have to make.' According to an ASPS survey, only 27% of respondents thought that the demand placed upon them in their role is manageable, and only 31% said that Police Scotland's executive actively supports them in their role. Superintendents and Chief Superintendents are also concerned about how often they are on-call, and how little they are paid for it. Being on-call is predetermined requirement for officers or staff to be available, outside of their normal working hours, to attend or undertake duty. Two thirds (66.7%) told the survey that there was an increased frequency of on-call, and zero respondents thought the current compensation for on-call is fair. Mr Hay continued: 'We look back at 2013, at the birth of Police Scotland, and note almost every pay point, at every rank is worth less now in real terms. And we look at equivalent professions in the public sector, whose pay growth has outstripped policing by 13% and even higher in some cases.' 'Given the over-reliance on on-call to provide essential policing functions and the uncomfortable reality that it is a non-compellable, voluntary duty, not covered by the police regulations, this is a clear message and a challenge to the police service and Government. 'Colleagues have already spoken to me of superintendents 'voting with their feet' and deselecting themselves from on-call duties.' Rob Hay (Image: NQ) He is also highlighting an 'alarming rise' in the numbers of ASPS members suffering from mental health challenges, as the strain of increasing workloads and scrutiny takes its toll. The ASPS says the force as a whole has seen an 85% increase in sickness absence for psychological illness and injury over the past four years. Mr Hay says that superintendent ranks must be given 'the time, the tools and the support to ensure we are creating a positive working environment that lets people deliver their absolute best'. He urged Police Scotland to implement technology that would help officers work smarter, not harder, such as introducing an app to record duty hours accurately. Police Scotland was formed in 2013 after the Scottish Government decided to combine Scotland's eight regional police forces, the serious organised crime unit and the police services authority. Officers were to cover a patch of more than 30,000 square miles and a population of 5.3m people with a beat ranging from the housing estates of east end Glasgow to the islands of Shetland and Fair Isle. At the time the Scottish Government pledged there would be no compulsory job losses having previously stated that having 1,000 extra police officers on the streets was a priority. In 2011, in its gameplan for the future delivery of public services, ministers said the creation of a single Scottish police service would "maintain our commitment to put 1,000 extra police on the beat". Police Scotland and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Police Scotland chief will have to ‘cannibalise' force to deliver fair pay
Police chiefs will have to 'cannibalise' Scotland's force to ensure the rank-and-file are paid fairly, according to a senior officer. Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) will tell the body's conference on Wednesday that the force's budget has failed to keep pace with inflation or demands on the service. Mr Hay will point to 2013, when Police Scotland was created, and claim that 'almost every pay point, at every rank, is worth less now in real terms'. Meanwhile, he will argue, pay growth for professions in the public sector has outstripped policing by 13 per cent 'and even higher in some cases'. Jo Farrell, Chief Constable of Police Scotland, and Angela Constance, the Scottish Justice Secretary, are among those due to attend the ASPS annual conference in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. 'The chief constable has spoken about the dilemma she faces in this year's pay negotiation,' Mr Hay will say. 'Without assistance from the Scottish Government, the chief faces the stark choice of cannibalising the service to afford to offer a pay rise that is above inflation. 'Simply put: reduce police numbers or reduce pay. This is a choice no chief constable should have to make.' Liam Kerr MSP, the Scottish Conservative's shadow justice secretary, said: 'This damning warning from senior police officers exposes the SNP 's systemic failure to properly support the force. 'It is shameful that it has reached a stage where cannibalising police services is now being openly talked about just so there is any possibility of rewarding dedicated officers. 'Savage cuts' ' The SNP's savage and sustained cuts to the police budget mean officers can no longer investigate every crime and our communities feel less safe. 'Instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul, SNP ministers must act on these concerns urgently. They cannot continue to treat them with contempt if they are serious about protecting the public and recruiting and retaining officers.' The conference will be told that an 'alarming' number of police officers in Scotland are battling mental health issues owing to increasing workloads and scrutiny. The ASPS argues that since 2013 the number of officers at superintendent and chief superintendent rank has reduced by a third. Police Scotland has seen an 85 per cent increase in sickness absence for psychological illness and injury since 2021. Mr Hay will call for technology to keep track of rest, such as introducing an app to record duty hours. He will argue that superintendents must be given 'the time, the tools and the support to ensure we are creating a positive working environment that lets people deliver their absolute best'. 'Technology could help in this space; it could tell line managers when compensatory rest is due, when rest day banks start to exceed limits and, at workforce planning level, give an indication as to how far away resourcing is from actually having enough people to do the work.' A recent ASPS survey found 27 per cent of respondents think the demand in their role is manageable and 31 per cent believe that Police Scotland's executive actively supports them in their role. The survey also found 66.7 per cent of respondents believed there was an increased frequency of on-call hours, and no respondents thought the current compensation for being on standby for work was fair. Mr Hay will say: 'Given the over-reliance on on-call to provide essential functions, and the uncomfortable reality that it is a voluntary duty, not covered by the Police Regulations, this is a clear message and a challenge to the police service and Government. 'Colleagues have already spoken to me of superintendents voting with their feet and deselecting themselves from on-call duties.'
