Police union reports fears over officers’ safety to watchdogs

A UNION has reported Police Scotland to health and safety watchdogs over fears for officers carrying out breath tests during the pandemic.

The Scottish Police Federation said it had taken the ‘extraordinary step’ of reporting the force to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) due to its concerns.

However, Police Scotland said it is meeting or exceeding all relevant guidelines.

In a letter published on the SPF website, general secretary Calum Steele states: ‘On 30th April 2020, the SPF formally served a Health and Safety Improvement Notice on the [Police Service of Scotland] in respect of its advice to officers surrounding breath test procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is our understanding this is the first occasion any police federation in any part of the UK has taken such a course of action and signifies the importance of the matter at hand for the SPF.’

The SPF claims the force ‘failed to respond to that notice’ and as such the SPF felt ‘compelled’ to report it to the HSE. It said it held a meeting with Police Scotland on May 15 but this failed to satisfy its ‘concerns over the safety risks to members’.

Mr Steele also wrote: ‘I wish to be clear that in the round, the relationship with the Police Service of Scotland [PSoS] is professional and productive.

‘However, on this, and an increasing but small number of other issues related to the health, safety and welfare of police officers, we have encountered a dogged unwillingness to either listen to, engage with, or work towards resolving legitimate concerns expressed and raised on behalf of police officers.’ He added: ‘The SPF, advised by our panel of experts, and a wealth of published scientific materials is firmly of the view the PSoS operational guidance in respect of breath test procedures neither reflects best risk management practices, or properly mitigates risk to officers.’

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: ‘We follow the advice and direction of Health Protection Scotland, the HSE and the National Police Chief’s Council and apply a comprehensive operational policing risk assessment when developing guidance for officers and staff. Police Scotland is meeting, and often exceeding, the relevant guidelines. We have sought to assist HPS, the HSE and the NPCC to clarify guidance with a focus on policing scenarios and we have passed information provided by the SPF to those organisations to support that work.’