Rose Fitzpatrick is one of the new deputy chief constables of Police Scotland.
New roving police units will be created to help investigate major incidents across Scotland once the country’s police forces merge.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said local commanders will be able to call on shared resources to assist with major inquiries, traffic accidents or firearms incidents.
She said this means local commanders will not have to divert resources away from regular duties when additional assistance is needed.
DCC Fitzpatrick, who was formerly a deputy assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan Police, said units will be based across the country to ensure they can reach different divisional areas quickly.
She claimed this would ensure Scots can expect the same standard of policing wherever they live in the country.
She stressed, however, that local knowledge will not be lost once the national police force, called Police Scotland, is created.
“Local policing won’t stop. When they (the public) contact us they will still be put through to local control rooms that local knowledge won’t be lost,” she said.
