POLICING in West Dunbartonshire needs to face up to a future including more cyber crime, possible mergers with other services and even driverless cars on the A82, the local commander has said.

Chief Superintendent Grant Manders, the divisional commander for Argyll and West Dunbartonshire, told a full council meeting that the force would soon be launching its consultation on the future of policing.

“Policing 2026” will consider potentially fundamental reforms to the service, even as their local work goes “back to the future” on attaching specific officers to each community council area.

Chief Supt Manders told councillors the policing model designed for the 1950s and 60s could not meet changing demands.

And while West Dunbartonshire has 11 more officers than a decade ago, 90 per cent of the local budget goes just on personnel, with the rest to cover buildings, vehicles and everything else.

Scotland auditor general Caroline Gardner warned on Thursday that Police Scotland was facing a £188 million funding gap by 2020-21. It is the third year in a row the service has been criticised over its accounting.

Chief Supt Manders told West Dunbartonshire Council last week: “We don’t have the computer experts walking the beat yet – [cyber crime] is a huge part of our work.

“Within 10 years, on the A82, we will have driverless cars. Technology is moving so quickly, we are not geared up for it. Political uncertainty, huge budgetary issues – that’s just a few.

“For me to deal with this as the local commander, we need to be realistic about it.

“Some 80 per cent of our work is almost health and social care – it’s about deprivation. That’s what policing is about, dealing with people with deep-rooted issues. It’s a big bit of our work. We are not mental health or addiction specialists. Should we be trained more in other specialisms?”

Chief Supt Manders asked whether police should drive ambulances or fire engines, merge with other emergency services or become part of West Dunbartonshire Council.

“These are big decisions that have to be made,” he continued. “Should people be comfortable reporting crimes online if they’re not injured? I’m really nervous about that but everyone is used to going online – that goes on in different industries.”

Chief Inspector Donald Leitch, the area commander for West Dunbartonshire, said community policing was being restructured to have officers aligned to each community council area, a return to an approach from 15-18 years ago.

He said: “I think everyone would prefer having the same people dealing with the same problems.”

Chief Supt Manders said: “I suspect any issues we have had will be lessened by this move back to the future, back to old policing.

“I want that – I think it’s the right thing to do. As a citizen and a taxpayer, I want that. But can we afford it? Is it sustainable? Will the future of policing be able to deliver that?”

The consultation on Policing 2026 opens in January.