Former Police Scotland Officers Can’t Retire Early to Dodge Misconduct Hearings
New legislation prevents former officers from escaping misconduct hearings by retiring early
Police Scotland, Misconduct, Legislation, Scotland, Disciplinary Hearings
Edinburgh: So, there’s been a big shake-up with Police Scotland. Officers who are accused of serious misconduct can’t just retire early to dodge the consequences anymore. This change comes after some serious discussions among lawmakers.
The new law is all about making things fairer and more transparent. It means that if an officer resigns or retires while facing serious allegations, they can still be held accountable. This is a big deal because it aims to clean up the police complaints system.
Back in 2020, a report by former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini suggested that even ex-officers should face disciplinary actions. Now, with this new legislation, if someone is accused of gross misconduct, action has to be taken within a year of them leaving the force.
There’s also a bit of history here. Former Chief Constable Phil Gormley left the force in 2018 while being investigated for bullying. He denied the claims, but now there are lists being created to keep track of those who’ve faced misconduct procedures. If found guilty, they can’t work in policing again.
On top of that, the law is tightening up vetting procedures. Officers will have to go through ongoing checks throughout their careers. If they can’t keep up with the vetting standards, the Chief Constable can remove them. It’s all about ensuring that the police force remains trustworthy.
There’s a new Code of Ethics coming in too, which will lay out the expected behavior for officers. An independent body will oversee this to make sure everyone is held to the same standards.
Some folks are skeptical, though. Calum Steele, a former police federation leader, expressed doubts about whether the police can judge their own fairly. But others, like Justice Secretary Angela Constance, are pushing for accountability and transparency in the system.
It looks like this new law is a step towards making sure that officers who do wrong are held accountable, no matter what. It’s a significant move for the future of policing in Scotland.