Leader calls for pause on closure of the Inverness Police Control Room to emergency calls

Leader of The Highland Council, Margaret Davidson has called for a pause on the decision to close the Inverness Control Room to emergency calls in December this year, pending the outcome of the national review.

Cllr Davidson attended a meeting with Police Scotland yesterday, where she was briefed on the plans to relocate the Inverness Area Control Room and Service Centre functions from Inverness to Central belt control rooms. The Inverness Control function will be retained as a satellite providing PNC (Police National Computer), database enquiry and event support, with the changes due to take place later this year.

Cllr Davidson expressed her concerns, stating: “I will be  writing to Police Scotland to ask for a moratorium on any reduction in functions to the Inverness Control Room pending the outcome of the national review.

“I understand that the reasoning for the move is to improve operational response and resilience and to make savings.  In the light of national events, I need assurances for Highland that the operational response to emergency calls in the Highlands will indeed be improved and that the public can have confidence in a centralised model.  I do not believe I can take that assurance until the national review is completed, and hence I am asking for a pause to consider.

“Inverness Control Room has long been associated with excellent critical and major incident facilities and local expertise and the public need to be reassured of future resilience in emergencies.

“I will also be seeking assurances that there will be no detrimental impact on local jobs, either in the loss or de-skilling of staff.”

She added: “I look forward to seeing the terms of the national review and hope that Police Scotland will sensibly consider any findings prior to pressing ahead with current plans.”