- Conference
- 2016 Police & Justice Service Group Conference
- Date
- 8 June 2016
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference notes that Renfrewshire Council has announced an initiative to “offer 11-month, full-time ‘traineeships’” whereby the unemployed can be trained up as special constables but paid the National Living Wage. The local commander appears to support this “innovative” initiative.
The Scottish Police Federation describe this as a “cynical attempt to deliver policing on the cheap” and have questioned the legality of this intention.
In Scotland we have observed police officers ‘backfilling’ for redundant police staff and this appears to be an attempt to seek out a cheaper alternative which will further undermine the role of police staff to satisfy the cost cutting agenda. Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to oppose this practice.