SCOTLAND'S first police complaints commissioner is to be a former head of the country's biggest teaching union, it was announced yesterday.
Jim Martin, 53, a secondary school teacher of economics and modern studies in the 1970s, who went on to lead the Educational Institute of Scotland and was at one time mooted as a Labour candidate for Holyrood, will take up his post next April.
He will be responsible for independently scrutinising how the police handle noncriminal complaints from the public. This will include such complaints as how arrests are made, police attitudes, or response times. His remit will not include any allegations such as assault or corruption which would continue to be handled by fiscals as criminal matters.
The role is currently carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Mr Martin has no previous connection with the police, in line with the Police Bill, passed earlier this year, which led to the creation of the new post.
The Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson, announced the appointment yesterday and said it came at a time of record numbers of police officers. She said: "It is vital the public continues to have confidence in our police service and modernising Scotland's police complaints system and making it fully transparent for those who need to use it is an important element in that."
The new "Cop Czar" said: "I am looking forward to the challenge of the new post. I will be working in partnership with all the key stakeholders to help modernise Scotland's police complaints system."
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