Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will visit Inverness tomorrow (Wednesday) to learn more about policing in the Northern Constabulary area.
During his visit, Mr MacAskill will meet with representatives of Northern Constabulary’s Cadet scheme for young people.
The Cadet scheme is open to all school leavers aged between 16 and 17 and a half years of age. The programme takes a minimum of six months to complete and gives recruits the best possible start to their careers and places them in a strong position to successfully take part in the selection process to become a Police Constable.
Speaking before his visit, Mr MacAskill said: “Recorded crime in Scotland is now at a 37 year low, helped by the record police numbers that this Government has delivered in communities across the country since 2007.
“I look forward to returning to Inverness to learn more about Northern Constabulary’s work in building safer and stronger communities in the north of Scotland.
“We are looking to the future with confidence with the new Police Service of Scotland going live next year. And while the new service will cover the whole of Scotland, it is crucial that the close ties between the public and the police that have served our local communities so well remain in place.
These close ties, which have been a hallmark of policing in the Highlands and Islands, will be maintained when the new service goes live.
“Cadet schemes such as this help build the workforce of tomorrow, by connecting young people with an interest in pursuing a police career with the skills and knowledge they need to do just that.
“Under the new police service, there will still be every opportunity for officers old and new to serve in their local communities, while there will also continue to be a place for local initiatives such as this, which bring the public and the local police together.”
