Justice Secretary to meet police and other justice partners in Annan and Dumfries.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill will travel to Dumfries and Galloway tomorrow  to meet area officers and discuss local policing issues and police reform.

Mr MacAskill will undertake a busy day of meetings with a range of police representatives, including senior staff, the Scottish Police Federation and community officers, as he seeks to build a consensus on the most appropriate way forward for Scotland’s police forces.

He will also see community policing in action in the town centres of Annan and Dumfries as well as discussing local priorities with representatives from the fire and rescue service, the NHS, the local alcohol and drug partnership, social services, and youth justice officials.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr MacAskill said:

“Every community in Scotland is entitled to an effective and sustainable police service that is able to respond to their local needs while at the same time protecting them from national threats such as organised crime and terrorism.

“The police in Dumfries and Galloway do a superb job each day keeping communities safe in each part of this diverse region – be it in a rural area or in one of the towns.

“But reform of the service across Scotland is necessary to ensure that this visible local policing can be maintained and improved in the face of the looming budget cuts from Westminster.

“Our reform programme will also ensure that senior officers in Dumfries and Galloway can continue to set policing priorities for their neighbourhoods while being able to call on the very best national expertise when it is needed.

“No decisions have been taken on the shape of reform, and I will be travelling right across the country during the summer, talking to police and others about the most appropriate way forward before proposals are brought before Parliament in the autumn.”

Deputy Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Police, Mike McCormick said:

“The Cabinet Secretary’s visit will allow him to observe frontline partnership working in action and highlight the importance of our collaborative and accountable arrangements, which enable responses to be put in place that allow the police to work with partners in Dumfries and Galloway to provide a safe and secure environment for our community.”

The Cabinet Secretary will be available for interview and photo opportunities in Annan and Dumfries. You are invited to confirm your attendance in advance (contact details below).

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