Surge in assault-related absences from front line

Fears that a pause in safety training is fuelling the crisis.

By Tom Martin

Assault-related absences in Police Scotland have soared by more than a third in a year amid a rise in attacks on frontline officers.

Senior and rank-and-file leaders have raised concerns about a pause in safety and other training as the force tries to balance its books.

Courses were postponed between December and January to deploy staff for frontline duties during the busy Christmas and New Year period.

It means that between 1,200 and 1,400 officers did not receive officer safety training for a month, sparking fears of a backlog, increasing the risk of injuries.

Police chiefs have repeatedly warned of “hard choices” following budget cuts and a recruitment freeze.

According to a force report submitted to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA)’s people committee, sickness absences due to assault rose by 36.2 per cent between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Police Scotland told 1919 it did not have the actual number of absences for last year, although it compiled data for the SPA.

It also said that assaults remain below the five-year average, despite reporting an increase in officer attacks to more than 5,400.

Both the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) and Scottish Police Federation (SPF) have expressed concerns over the impact of training delays.

ASPS president Rob Hay told an SPA hearing: “When you look at the number of assaults that have gone up, and the fact that the likelihood of injury associated with that is more severe, you could directly attribute that to the fact that we chose to pause that training for a month.”

“Any decision to pause officer safety training is likely to have the effect of officers being assaulted, and those assaults are more likely to result in them being injured”

Rob Hay, ASPS president

Highlighting the “knock-on training lag,” Hay added: “What we should reflect on is any decision to pause officer safety training is likely to have the effect of officers being assaulted, and those assaults are more likely to result in them being injured.

“And that’s where in future we might want to consider very carefully any decision to potentially pause that essential training.”

Injuries from assault reported in Police Scotland’s health and safety end-of-year report fell to 1,408 in 2023/24.

Bruising and inflammation accounted for nearly half of cases (45 per cent), followed by abrasions and grazes, and cuts and lacerations (both 18 per cent).

Bites accounted for 12 per cent, while incidents of exposure to body fluid — such as officers being spat upon — accounted for seven per cent.

Separately, the force’s latest workforce annual report reveals there were 5,439 assaults in 2023/24 — up 16.2 per cent from the 4,682 recorded in 2022/23, and a 16.8 per cent increase from the 4,657 assaults in 2021/22.

It also noted increased grievances and stress-related leave, contributing to a total absence cost among officers and staff of £74 million in 2023/24.

David Threadgold, chair of the SPF, pointed to the pause in safety training as well as cutbacks eroding community policing.

He told 1919: “Police officers should not have to go to work to be assaulted. The minimum that you would expect is for employees to be trained to deal with it.

“There’s no doubt that when body-worn cameras are finally rolled out, we will see a reduction in assaults and officer absences.

“As we become less relevant and less present in our communities, the potential for more serious violence escalates.

“We are becoming a reactive force where more and more frequently the public are only seeing us in situations of conflict.”

“We’re building a culture where people are more likely to report”

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs

Threadgold added: “It is a bigger-scale example of the breakdown in intelligence gathering and community engagement that results in that level of violence and officers not being properly equipped to deal with it.

“It is crucial that we get back into these communities and start engaging with people so that we are not seen as the bad guy.

“You are never going to take assaults completely out of policing – it is the nature of what we do.

“But we need to improve the support for assaulted officers and ensure facilities are in place to help them return to work quickly.”

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said assaults on officers and staff are “absolutely unacceptable”, and the force has encouraged the reporting of incidents.

He added: “It is something that we keep under close review, to ensure we are doing all we can to support our people.

“Overall, assaults remain below the five-year average and lower compared to previous years.

“Crucially, the injury rate has seen a consistent decline and the reporting rate has increased, suggesting not only has there been a long term reduction in assaults, but that we’re also building a culture where people are more likely to report.

“This allows us to build a more accurate picture of what officers and staff are experiencing, which means we can identify trends and target areas to improve safety.”