Tayside cops hold down second jobs

MORE than 60 Tayside police officers have second jobs or other business interests — including work in sport, construction and property — the Tele can reveal.

Sixty-six policemen and women based in Tayside have business interests outside their regular jobs, a freedom of information request revealed.

The data showed the majority of those are constables but other, more senior officers, also declared second jobs.

Constables work in photography, construction, coaching, retail and refereeing, compete in football and golf and volunteer for good causes.

One sergeant in the criminal justice services division is a piper while an operational support constable is an Army Cadet instructor.

Several specialist crime sergeants – who focus on organised crime and terrorism – have jobs in education and sport. One superintendent and a number of chief inspectors, inspectors, sergeants and constables are also landlords. By law, officers must inform the chief constable — and senior officers must tell the Scottish Police Authority — if they have any outside interests, before and after becoming an officer. The rules also extend to the officer’s family.

North East MSP Liam Kerr said: “People may see the police as a uniform and forget they have family and social lives like the rest of us.

“They are already role models in their day job and have the same right to pursue other work which might fulfil them in areas police work doesn’t, or provides a welcome diversion in their own time.

“The Scottish Police Federation says it has encountered cases where staff feel financially unable to work for Police Scotland alone.

“If so, that is deeply troubling and hopefully the Scottish Government is engaging positively with the federation to understand and address the situation.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “All police officer business interests are granted by the chief constable, which are based on their own particular circumstances and review dates are similarly set.

“The anti-corruption policy includes procedures that identify risks that business interests or secondary employment may pose to the organisation or individual.” Our

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Liam Kerr MSP