Police plan to delegate minor callouts
3 Jan 05
ACPOS report recommends officers be freed from responding to car crashes and neighbour disputes
A report by Scotland's chief constables recommends that the police should no longer have to attend a range of what are viewed as more minor incidents.
The Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland believes that incidents including car crashes, vandalism, abandoned vehicles and neighbour problems such as loud music should be dealt with by community support officers or neighbourhood wardens.
The move is intended to save officers' time by cutting down on paperwork and permitting more effective deployment of resources.
Politicians have criticised the plans. A spokesman for the First Minister said it was not up to the police to decide which laws to enforce; and for the Conservatives Bill Aitken described the proposals as "totally unacceptable".