Scottish Police Under Strain Due to Actions of English Officers

Police in Scotland face added stress now. Public views of them are also shifting. This comes from problems with English police. David Kennedy leads the Scottish Police Federation. He says racism claims hurt officers’ morale.

Kennedy said officers handle issues from England. These create a constant, tough situation for them. He cited Wayne Couzens and David Carrick as examples. Both committed terrible crimes while serving as police. Kennedy described the job as frustrating and spoke at a Scottish Labour event. He notes that officers still find the job rewarding.

Issues coming from England add extra strain though. Kennedy shared a story about an older woman. She hesitated to invite officers inside. Her son had to be present first. This shows worries that officers now have in mind. They wonder when public complaints will arise.

Kennedy addressed the racism claims made earlier. A former police chief made them before. Kennedy believes this hurt public view regarding officers. Now, it is harder to get the public back on their side. Kennedy clarified that it wasn’t as bad as England.

He stated that the struggle against racism still exists. People must understand what the problematic term means. Not all officers are racist or sexist, he said. Kennedy mentions Jo Farrell agreed with the racism claim. She is now the new Chief Constable. Kennedy noted most officers do nothing wrong. He believes being visible builds trust. People need to know local officers.