Scotland’s police force is awash with staff who have criminal convictions, The Sunday Post can reveal.
More than 1,600 Police Scotland workers currently have a record but force top brass have refused to say how serious they are. The secrecy has left the under-fire force open to criticism it is failing to set a good example to the public. The forces’ four-figure shame emerged in response to a freedom of information request this week.
Police Scotland’s response to the probe said: “I can confirm that 1,655 employees (police officers and police staff) have convictions on the Scottish Criminal History System (CHS) as at 7th August 2014.”
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont is aghast at the confession. He said: “The force isn’t doing itself any favours by keeping these details so close to its chest.
“Since its creation, Police Scotland’s record on transparency has been extremely poor, and this matter is another example of that.”
The figures show one in every 15 employees of the 25,000-strong force have a secret conviction. Incredibly, only five people have been dismissed or told to resign, according to the first tranche of data on the topic released since the force came into being last April.
One plain clothes officer spoke of his shame at the exposed offending.
“It’s abhorrent to me that there should be a single person within the force that has a record,” the insider said.
Serious questions have been raised over whether Police Scotland should take tougher measures to weed out criminals from its ranks.
Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson, a former police divisional commander, said: “Police Scotland should ensure that only officers with a demonstrable integrity remain in the service.”
In 2012, it was revealed 333 policemen and women had convictions for crimes such as domestic abuse, serious assault, corruption and drug offences. But following the latest request for information, Police Scotland has refused to reveal convicted criminals’ police ranks, what crimes they committed and where they are stationed.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe