As part of the ongoing campaign to ensure that police forces in the Celtic countries identify and support the language and culture of the community in which they work the Celtic League General Secretary has written to the Chief Constable of Central Scotland Police.
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot told Chief Constable Andrew Cameron that the police form part of the community it serves and as such should reflect the cultural and linguistic heritage of that local and wider community.
This latest call to 'top cops' to up their act in relation to the indigenous culture of the areas they serve follows earlier approaches to forces in Wales and the Isle of Man.
"Dear Chief Constable Andrew Cameron CBE QPM BA
Central Scotland Police: Scottish Gaelic language and cultural commitment
The Celtic League is currently pursuing a campaign to examine how the police forces in the Celtic countries reflect the respective distinctive cultural and linguistic heritage in each nation.
So far we have written to all the forces in Cymru/Wales and Mannin/Isle of Mann, asking them about particular aspects of their forces, especially their public image. We are generally interested to know how they believe their forces reflect the distinct cultural and linguistic heritage of the Celtic nation in which they work and if they would consider strengthening their public image in this respect.
We believe this campaign is important, because the police form part of the community it serves and as such should reflect the cultural and linguistic heritage of that local and wider community.
The League is therefore writing to all the Chief Constables in Alba/Scotland to ask how, in their opinion, their constabularies reflect the Scottish Celtic heritage and the Scottish Gaelic language and what commitments they hold with regard to Scottish identity per se.
We fully appreciate the fact that Central Scotland police are currently undertaking a community survey of their own, to advise planning over the next few years in the force, and we thoroughly applaud this effort.
We would like to ask you to consider therefore, as part of this survey if possible, the following questions:
Why can't I read your official website in Scottish Gaelic? Why don't your police uniforms and equipment (e.g. vehicles) have the words 'police' written in Scottish Gaelic alongside English? Would you consider adopting a distinct Scottish police badge, with the Scottish flag on it perhaps, as in the case of the new North Wales police badges?
Are your officers able to attend free classes in Scottish Gaelic as part of their job, should they wish to do so? Do you have a specific Gaelic language policy for your force? How could, in your opinion, the Central Scotland Police force show more of a commitment to Scottish cultural and linguistic identity?
We would also very much appreciate answers to the following questions and will look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot General Secretary"
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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
08/02/08
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