Aberdeen Forensic Lab to stay after UNISON campaign

by Betty Lyon, Area Organiser Notth Team

Staff working for Aberdeen's Forensic Lab have received an email, telling them that the lab was staying open, with a guarded apology for the fact that the consultation process that the SPSA engaged in was not based on evidence but guesswork.

A huge success for UNISON, our members’ hard work and commitment and the Grampian Police Branch.

In November it emerged that the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) were to close the Forensic Lab inAberdeen with no consultation with UNISON. Our members were angry.

The SPSA published a document which was nothing more than 10 good reasons to close the lab. We believed that the "report" contained unsound reasoning and flawed data. We planned our campaign. fingerprint and forensic staff produced a rebuttal document; gaining cross-party support from MSPs and MPs.

They involved Police Joint Boards,ACPOS, the Police Federation and the public; ran a poster campaign; and lodged a Public Petition for an open, fair and transparent consultation. The petition closed on 24 November with over 2,700 signatures.

The support from cross party politicians was phenomenal, questions were raised in parliament, some weeks on a daily basis, and there was huge media interest.

At the Public Petitions Committee hearing on 8 January, the SPSA were slated by all parties.The promised new consultation never appeared, just the welcome email announcing our success!

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