The Scottish justice secretary has been told it is vital that police resources are not drained away from the Western Isles.
Michael Matheson discussed local policing priorities during a meeting with representatives of Western Isles Council, UHI Stornoway and NHS Western Isles.
It comes as the Scottish Government consults on six new national priorities for policing in Scotland covering the themes of localism, prevention, response, collaborative working, accountability and adaptability.
Fears that the relatively new single Scottish police force could draw away resources from islands areas by focusing more on the central belt, diluting Western Isles policing in the process, were impressed upon him at the meeting.
Afterwards, Angus Campbell, leader of Western Isles Council, said: “From an island perspective the issues are about having the right resources in the islands when we need it and to have the decision making done locally.
Mr Campbell stressed there needs to be recognition that “one size does not always fit all.”
He added: “We should have the freedom within the whole of the public sector to do things in a way which best serves the outcomes for the Western Isles.”
Many islanders are worried of the loss of local contact with the 999 police control room service at Inverness shifting to the central belt.
Being unable to make a simple phone call to an island police station is another frustration felt by island residents who end up speaking with a call centre on the other side of the country.
However, decisions over changes to the command control system are up to the chief constable, said Mr Matheson.
He said Police Scotland wanted to have “clearer oversight” of what was happening
across the country after the merger of the eight separate forces into one Scotland-
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “The message clearly made to me here is the way policing is being delivered on the islands hasn’t changed. Also, when they need national resources, the island police have been able to call that in at particular points.”
Mr Matheson said: “One of the important aspects of creating a single force in Scotland was to make sure we retained as much as we could of local policing so the type of policing which takes place in the islands reflects what the needs of the local community.
“Equally, when incidents do occur, we are able to deploy national resources to support the local police service.
“I am keen to ensure that is working as effectively as we can and, from what I’ve heard from the discussions I’ve had (in Stornoway) is that is working well in the islands.”
Mr Matheson said good aspects of policing in the Hebrides may be “developed across rest of the country” such as the “very strong partnerships” with the health board and isles’ council as well as with “voluntary sector organisations such as Rape Crisis Scotland and Woman’s Aid.”
“I think that type of collaboration and co-
“What I want to do is make sure we are using that type of approach, not just here in the Western Isles, but in other parts of the country.”
The justice secretary Michael Matheson spoke to locals on a walkabout around Stornoway.
Justice secretary warned against diluting Western Isles policing
July 2016