ONE in five Police Scotland officers say they have personally experienced harassment, bullying or discrimination from colleagues in the past 12 months, a new survey has found, with still more reporting abuse from the public.
The figures come from a Police Scotland workforce poll of more than 11,000 officers and staff, which generally found that people in the organisation have high levels of trust in their own team, but low levels in upper management.
The figures showed that 87% of staff agreed that their teammates can be relied upon to help if things get difficult, work together effectively and support each other. Similarly high levels of above 80% were reported for communication and fostering a positive environment.
However, faith in upper management was notably low. Just 17% of people surveyed agreed that police bosses act on feedback from the workforce, while 20% said they actively listen.
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Just 30% of police staff said that upper management “are aware of and care about my wellbeing”, and 41% said they take issues seriously. Further, only 36% of police staff said upper management communicates effectively, and 32% said they ensure equal access to opportunities.
Questions about available resources also saw poor scores. Less than half of police staff said they had the equipment they needed (47%) or a manageable workload (48%). Elsewhere, just 27% agreed that their team has sufficient people resource.
Only 38% of police staff reported feeling valued for their work, an issue which appears to stem from both management and the public.
One in five police officers reported experiencing harassment, bullying or discrimination in the workplace in the last 12 months – but this was more than half (52%) when asked if they had been abused by the public.
David Kennedy, the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said that the figures were “damning” for Police Scotland.
Kennedy said there was a clear “disconnect” between Police Scotland management and general staff, and pointed to an ongoing pay dispute with the organisation.
“People are seeing what management are willing to offer them and that they're saying ‘this is all I'm worth’ – I think that that attitude is what you see within the survey,” he added.
Asked about the figures showing abuse and bullying within police ranks and from the public, Kennedy said: “The police is quite a bullying organisation, and it's not until people say they leave it that they realise how much a bullying organisation it is – but that'll come off the back of policies that are put in place and the way they're put in place and the way people feel they're treated.”
He then added that community policing was being lost, which impacts on public respect.
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After the publication of the police survey, assistant chief constable Catriona Paton said: “The chief constable [Jo Farrell] has consistently highlighted the skill, commitment, goodwill and professionalism that our officers, staff and volunteers demonstrate as they deliver a challenging and essential public service for our communities.
“The survey gave our people a voice and the results can help all police leaders to deliver positive change. There are areas of real positivity, including the strong ethos of teamwork and the commitment to making a difference in society, underlining the huge value our people provide for communities.
“We also recognise the challenges. The onus is on police leaders to advocate for appropriate resources for policing and deliver change that supports frontline policing to deliver for the public.
“We’ve set out our vision of safer communities, less crime, supported victims and a thriving workforce and our first business plan which outlines the steps we’re already taking to achieve these ambitions.
“In the coming weeks and months, we’ll work to understand these results more fully and take action at national and local levels. The chief constable has committed to yearly surveys, and it is important action leads to better experiences for our colleagues.”
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