Scots retain faith in the police despite a "challenging" year, an SNP candidate who spent more than 30 years on the beat has said.
Audrey Nicoll, who is standing in Aberdeen South for Nicola Sturgeon's party in May, retired from Police Scotland in 2015 having risen to the rank of Detective Sergeant.
The former officer worked a number of specialist roles across the old Grampian constabulary, including on the development of policing policy, before Police Scotland was established in 2013.
She told the Record she had been "dismayed" by scenes in London last month where the Met faced severe criticism over its response to a peaceful vigil in memory of Sarah Everard.
Images shared widely on social media showed officers handcuffing women and removing them from crowds in response to covid lockdown rules on gatherings.
Met commissioner Cressida Dick refused to resign despite London mayor Sadiq Khan calling the force's actions "unacceptable".
Closer to home, Police Scotland was criticised last month after it failed to prevent thousands of Rangers fans from gathering in Glasgow to celebrate their club's first title win in 10 years - despite a strict Stay at Home rule being in place.
Nicoll, now an SNP councillor, admits it's been a challenging year for the police in general as they are forced to respond to ever-changing lockdown rules.
"The period we've been in lockdown, speaking as a former officer, I can imagine keeping that balance between enforcing the law, and doing your job, has been perhaps more challenging given the constraints we've all been under," she said in an interview.
"Where it has come in for criticism, I know Police Scotland will take that on board and look at that very seriously.
"In Scotland, we pride ourselves on having a service that polices by consent.
"In my experience, and I can talk from the perspective of Aberdeen, I think the public have confidence in policing.
"In my current role, I have an excellent relations with the local policing team and I would like to think that reflects the relationship they have with the community - which in my ward is hugely diverse, and comprises a local community who would expect to get their money's worth from the local police team."
Nicoll believes that Met officers on the ground at the Everard vigil were let down by the London force's top brass.
"I was hugely dismayed to see the scenes on the news the following morning," she added.
"In my view, the Met had options which would have allowed a formal vigil to take place where people were kept safe and there was a coming together of participants and police officers.
"It looks as though on that occasion, officers who were trying their best in a pretty awful situation were failed by leadership on the day."
Nicoll joined the SNP after standing down from the police and is now vying to retain the Aberdeen South constituency following the retirement of Maureen Watt.
"We are perhaps in an age where we've been looking at social media much more than we would normally do," she continued.
"And perhaps there is an opportunity for Police Scotland to tap into the way people are finding out about things and picking up their news.
"Having a forward-facing presence on social media is very much a starting point."
