By Gemma Fraser
Head of content
Sexual assault, dog bites, hearing loss and psychological injuries are included on a list of compensation claims made against Police Scotland by its officers and staff.
The force is currently dealing with 76 injury-at-work claims, ranging across 14 separate categories.
These include 34 hearing loss cases – the largest category by far – with 27 relating to damage sustained by officers during Bonfire Night chaos in Edinburgh in November 2023.
Cops were subjected to “unprecedented” levels of violence as they tried to contain disorder, with fireworks and petrol bombs launched at them in the capital’s Niddrie area (main picture).
The affected officers were not provided with adequate ear protection during Operation Moonbeam, the force’s nationwide annual response in the lead up to Bonfire Night, even though the equipment had recently been purchased by Police Scotland.
Among the other claims levelled against the force are eight falls, six psychological injuries, five road traffic accidents and five dog bites.
There is also one claim of sexual assault against an officer or staff member “while at work”.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said adequate training and personal protective equipment needs to be in place to help protect officers working in dangerous environments.
The detail of workplace litigation was revealed after a request from members of the Scottish Police Authority’s legal committee.
The same report also disclosed that Police Scotland is currently dealing with 55 employment tribunals, which are “overwhelmingly disability discrimination related”.
These cases have mainly been brought against the force as a result of delays or failures in implementing reasonable adjustments.
1919 previously told how PC Denise Gemmell was awarded more than £40,000 by an employment tribunal after it ruled she had been victimised.
It followed a lengthy grievance process whereby Police Scotland did not uphold her complaint, which she made against the force after her formal adjustments – implemented to help her to continue to work after an accident – were not adhered to.
Referring to the hearing loss claims made following Operation Moonbeam, SPF vice chair Brian Jones said: “Once again it is disappointing that we have to wait for our members to be injured in the workplace before the necessary personal protective equipment is identified and purchased.
“We are glad to see Police Scotland’s response to this threat, which ensures our colleagues are now in possession of the necessary pieces of equipment to prevent future injuries and have received the necessary information, and instruction on its use.”
He added: “Another area of concern surrounds the dangers of working on the road network. It is imperative that our members receive the necessary training and equipment to work safely in this dangerous environment.”
Police Scotland said it has introduced a number of measures to improve officer safety while on duty.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell told 1919: “The safety of our officers and staff is our number one priority and we are committed to protecting our personnel from injury and harm while on duty.
“There has been a significant investment in training and equipment.
“Prior to Operation Moonbeam 2023, Police Scotland purchased new hearing protection, which is designed to protect our officers’ hearing without compromising their ability to hear routine sounds or conversations in a noisy environment.
“The rollout of body-worn video has also helped improve officer and staff safety. It allows us to build a more accurate picture of what officers and staff are experiencing, which means we can improve operational safety training.
“Assaults on our officers and police staff are completely unacceptable. It is not part of any job to be assaulted. It is something that we keep under close review, to ensure we are doing all we can to support our people.”
Current claims being dealt with by Police Scotland
| Injury caused by/during | Number of claims |
|---|---|
| Forced entry/use of rammit | 2 |
| Officer safety training | 5 |
| Training (other) | 1 |
| Defective equipment | 2 |
| Dog bite | 5 |
| Road traffic accident | 5 |
| Fall from bike/motorcycle | 2 |
| Hearing loss | 34 |
| Falling item | 2 |
| Sexual assault | 1 |
| Fall | 8 |
| Psychological injury | 6 |
| Exposure to risk | 2 |
| Skin condition following stay on police premises | 1 |
