Dumfriesshire MSP and Shadow Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Elaine Murray believes he has done ‘the right thing’.
She said: “With the total lack of criticism by the Scottish Government for any of the damaging procedures which were introduced following the creation of the single police force, it’s clear that the problems in Police Scotland run far deeper than any individual. But the Scottish Government can no longer hide behind the Chief Constable.”
And she added: “Local people are rightly concerned about some of the major issues in Police Scotland which are affecting our region, such as call handling, routine arming of the police and stop and search.
“But it’s also our local officers and staff, working tirelessly all year round to keep people safe, who are being let down. They deserve to have their faith restored.”
Meanwhile, South Scotland MSP Jim Hume said the resignation ‘reveals the chaos’ at the heart of Police Scotland.
He said: “Ultimately the SNP Government must accept responsibility for this chaos: they rammed through the centralisation of our police service despite warnings; they set up the toothless Scottish Police Authority; they appointed the Chief Constable.
“Before they advertise for a new chief constable, the SNP government needs to think long and hard about the shortcomings of this deeply flawed organisation it is responsible for. Only by acknowledging those serious shortcomings can we begin to recover what has been lost.”
