WPC’S MUM GOES TO WAR ON MINISTER
Mother’s attack on Justice Secretary after daughter quit single force suffering from stress and exhaustion
A TEARFUL mother launched a scathing attack on the Justice Secretary yesterday after her daughter was forced to resign from Scotland’s single police force because she was ‘on the edge of a nervous breakdown’.
The woman, an SNP member, told Michael Matheson that, as with many Police Scotland officers, her daughter was ‘physically and emotionally exhausted’ – and claimed that some staff were going without meal and toilet breaks.
She confronted the minister at a fringe event at the SNP conference in Glasgow yesterday, during which details of an email from another member of the force revealed serious safety concerns and that stress
levels were ‘through the roof’. Mr Matheson appeared uncomfortable as she told him: ‘This was her dream to serve Scotland as a police officer. Unfortunately it hasn’t worked out well. She is physically and emotionally exhausted.’
Despite supporting the Nationalists, the woman said police were being let down by ‘my party in Scotland’.
Her attack comes at a time of increasing pressure on the force. According to recent figures, 593 civilian staff members have been made redundant or taken early retirement since 2014, costing nearly £22million. And Chief Constable Phil Gormley is on gardening leave, facing multiple bullying probes.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said her daughter joined the force in 2014 but ‘resigned about six weeks ago because there was no prospect of improvement in the service any time soon’.
She said the young woman had coped with ‘relentless’ ten-hour shifts, often without a meal or toilet break, had no quality of life due to changing shift patterns and faced ‘never-ending paperwork’ as well as defunct IT systems and response vehicles with 130,000plus miles on the clock.
Mr Matheson was told: ‘She didn’t think the job would be a walk in the park, she was well aware of what she was taking on and I feel she’s been very let down. She’s not complaining but I am angry because, Mr Matheson, I’m a member of the SNP.
‘This isn’t a Tory government in Scotland, this isn’t a Labour government in Scotland, this is my party in Scotland and you are letting down your officers.’
The Justice Secretary looked taken aback as he said he was ‘sorry’ to hear about her daughter’s experience.
He then had to listen as Scottish Police Federation general secretary Calum Steele read out an email from an officer, who serves in Mr Matheson’s constituency.
The policeman said staff shortages meant officers were going without time to eat, drink or even use the toilet.
He added that this was happening on a daily basis.
The officer said ‘stress levels are though the roof’, adding: ‘I personally don’t feel safe at all just now... it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or worse.
‘We are so rushed in everything that we do, mistakes are no doubt made, corners are being cut.’
Mr Steele claimed that a significant percentage of officers felt downtrodden, tired, exhausted and ‘unloved’.
Mr Matheson said: ‘With the creation of a single force, one of the areas which has not been adequately addressed is the whole issue of the wellbeing of our police officers and their needs, and to recognise that the service needs to address these issues that they have as a matter of concern.’
Following the fringe event Mr Matheson had a private meeting with the woman.
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Claire Baker said: ‘This is deeply humiliating for Michael Matheson. When even SNP members are challenging him on his record you know things are desperate.
‘Scotland’s police officers are overworked and undervalued under the Nationalists.’
Comment – Page 14