Police Scotland has been accused of centralising jobs to the cities after it axed a surveillance unit in Dumfries and Galloway.
MSP Colin Smyth confronted Nicola Sturgeon on the issue of centralisation and called for “a fair distribution of specialist jobs in every part of Scotland.”
He also demanded a response to The Sunday Post’s revelation that specialist officers will be moved from the region.
The First Minister said: “While a final decision on the location has yet to be taken, specialist police surveillance resources fully capable of preventing and detecting a range of crimes will still operate fully and continue to support the fight against individuals and groups that threaten our communities.”
Last week we told how the surveillance unit in Dumfries and Galloway has played a key role in the fight to stop drugs reaching Scotland.
But Mr Smyth pointed out other local policing jobs have been cut, as the area lost its police control centre after the single force was created.
Speaking at FMQs this week, he added: “If you walk the corridor of the police headquarters in Dumfries you’re not going to bump into many people as so many local support jobs have been axed.
“So why is your message to young people in my region that if you want a career in Police Scotland you need to move into the cities?”
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