June 1, 2012 -- Scotland is to introduce a new "101" non-emergency number to make it easier to contact the police.

The new single Police Service of Scotland will introduce the new number and a specialist crime directorate.

The 101 number has already been brought in south of the Border and will make local police station numbers redundant.

Speaking at the annual Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland conference, Chief Constable Kevin Smith said the plan was to introduce the 101 number that would "get you through to your local police contact centre, whether that is in Glasgow or Shetland".

The new specialist crime directorate will deal with all homicides. Officers will be based throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Mr Smith warned that closing control rooms after the merger was too high a risk in the short term.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.scotsman.com