Calls for reform to complaint process

Any complaint against the head of the police in Scotland should be fast-tracked to avoid “paralysing” the force.

Gill Imery, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said concerns have been raised over how the priority of investigations are established.

She added the current situation where a complaint investigation into an officer ends if he or she leaves the force, as happened with former Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley, is “unsatisfactory”.

Mr Gormley quit his post in February, five months after he had been placed on special leave amid investigations into claims of gross misconduct, which he denies.

At Holyrood’s Justice Committee, Ms Imery said: “I agree that it is unsatisfactory, both for the person making the complaint and for the individual who has been publicly been accused of the behaviours.”

The Scottish Chief Police Officers Staff Association, which represents Scotland’s most senior police officers, has previously hit out at watchdogs over the “lengthy and damaging” investigations into allegations of misconduct.

Auditor General for Scotland Caroline Gardner also gave evidence to the committee and said the way complaints regarding the former chief constable were handled “did not help generate confidence in policing in Scotland”.

Speaking generally about the relationship between Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, Ms Gardner said improvements have been made from having “turf wars” between financial officers in each organisation.

She warned performance information about policing given to the SPA is falling short of enabling it to hold the force to account as envisaged by legislation.

Picture: Andrew Cowan. Mr Philip Gormley.