Here, you can find various documents and records relating to our investigations, Complaint Handling Reviews, publications, audits and business documents, such as our strategic and business plans, annual reports and policies.
08 June 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the discharge of a Taser device by a Police Scotland officer during an incident in Livingston on 29 May 2021.
As is standard procedure with the discharge of all Tasers, the matter was referred to us by Police Scotland and once our investigation is concluded a report will be sent to the Chief Constable.
08 June 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the serious injury of a 35-year-old woman while in custody in Saltcoats on 19 May 2021.
Our investigation will focus on the police contact with the woman throughout the incident.
The incident was referred to us by Police Scotland and once our investigation is concluded, a report will be sent to the Chief Constable.
03 June 2021 | Investigations
About 3.15 am on Sunday 21 February 2021, at a house in Orkney, two Police Scotland Specially Trained Officers (STO’s) discharged a Taser at a 22-year-old man when he ran at officers and appeared to reach for a knife.
Prior to the incident, the man made numerous 999 calls to Police Scotland, shouting, swearing and stating that he wanted to stab police officers. He also said that he had mental health issues. Two STO’s were sent to the incident armed with Taser devices and were confronted by the man, who appeared at a window brandishing a metal pole and a knife. The man was shouting that he was going to stab and kill the officers. He was instructed to drop the weapons and both officers pointed their Tasers at him.
When the man left the house he was instructed to kneel on the ground. He was initially compliant but then ran at an officer and reached towards a knife sheath in the waistband of his trousers, resulting in both officers discharging their Tasers, and temporarily incapacitating the man. He was then arrested and handcuffed. The man suffered no after effects from the Taser and was detained in police custody.
The man subsequently appeared at court and received a custodial sentence. As court proceedings are concluded, we are able to publish details of the incident.
Under the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006, as amended, and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Investigations, Serious Incidents and Specified Weapons) Regulations 2013, all incidents of Police Scotland’s use of firearms, including the use of Taser, must be referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) for independent assessment. In this regard, on 23 February 2021 Police Scotland referred this incident to the PIRC.
PIRC INVESTIGATION
PIRC investigators obtained statements from the individual officers involved and also obtained and examined command and control incident logs, recordings of telephone and airwave radio communications, briefing papers, the relevant Police Scotland Standard Operating Procedures and photographs taken of the scene shortly after the incident occurred.
26 May 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the discharge of a Taser device by a Police Scotland officer during the arrest of a 27-year-old man in Southerness on Tuesday 11 May 2021.
As is standard procedure with the discharge of all Tasers, the matter was referred to us by Police Scotland and once our investigation is concluded a report will be sent to the Chief Constable.
26 May 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the circumstances of the death of a 44-year-old man after his body was found at a flat in Glasgow on Friday 23 April 2021.
Our investigation will focus on the actions of Police Scotland officers in the lead up the man’s death.
The matter was referred to us by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and once our investigation is concluded, a report with our findings will be submitted to the COPFS in due course.
20 May 2021 | Investigations
BACKGROUND
On Sunday 14 June 2020, a 25-year-old man sustained a laceration to the top of his head after being struck by police batons while being arrested by officers of Police Scotland. The incident took place in the common close of a block of flats in Wishaw.
Just after 10pm, two officers were dealing with a separate incident when a man began to shout abuse at them before entering the block of flats. One of the officers entered the close to warn the man about his conduct. As he did so, the man drew a meat cleaver that was concealed in the rear waistband of his trousers, and struck the officer on his hand causing a deep laceration and broken bones before he retreated into his flat.
As the second officer stood at the entrance to the close, the man came out of the flat and lunged at him and repeatedly punched him on the face. The first officer then re-entered the close and in an effort to defend themselves and prevent further assault, both officers struck the man on the head and arms with their batons. This had no effect on the man who continued to assault the second officer. The man then retrieved the cleaver from his flat and repeatedly struck it at the head and body of the second officer resulting in part of the officer’s finger being severed and being struck on the head with the cleaver. The man then re-entered his flat.
In response to a call for urgent assistance, more police officers, some in possession of public order shields, arrived at the scene and a containment was placed on the building.
When the man came out of the flat, he was arrested, handcuffed and walked towards a police van. On approaching the van he began to struggle violently and lunged forward and struck his head on the side of the van.
The man was eventually restrained and taken to Monklands Hospital where he was treated for a laceration on his head that he sustained during the incident. The injured officers were taken to University Hospital, Wishaw, for treatment to the serious injuries they had sustained.
The man has since been convicted and was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
REFERRAL TO THE PIRC
On 16 June 2020, Police Scotland referred the incident to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) in terms of Section 33A (c) of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (as amended) and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Investigations Procedure, Serious Incidents and Specified Weapons) Regulations 2013.
PIRC INVESTIGATION
The investigation focused on the actions and decision making of the officers involved during the initial incident and the subsequent arrest of the man.
During the course of the investigation, PIRC investigators obtained statements from the officers involved in the incident and reviewed CCTV and social media footage and Airwave radio recordings. In addition, they obtained and examined STORM Command and Control incident logs, Police Scotland briefing papers and relevant Police Scotland Standard Operating Procedures.
PIRC FINDINGS
Recommendations
No recommendations are made.
20 May 2021 | Investigations
Just after 9pm on Monday 24 February 2020, at County Square, Paisley, Renfrewshire, following an incident within Paisley Gilmour Street Railway Station, a British Transport Police (BTP) officer discharged Captor Incapacitant spray during the arrest of a 20-year-old man. The incident began after staff at the station reported that the man had, a short time earlier, indecently exposed himself.
BTP officers were immediately sent to the incident and found the man, who appeared intoxicated, at the station in the company of others.
They tried to communicate with the man, who became aggressive and, following a struggle, assaulted both officers and ran away. He was pursued by the officers and during the chase, the man stopped, turned towards an officer who he had seized by the hair and punched during the initial struggle and adopted a threatening stance. Fearing for her safety, the officer discharged her Captor Incapacitant spray at the man. The man ran off but, following a violent struggle, he was apprehended by other officers.
The man became breathless and vomited. He told the officers that he suffered from asthma. As a result, one of the BTP officers provided the man with her personal asthma inhaler, which alleviated his breathlessness. Paramedics who subsequently attended the scene examined the man and found that he was not injured as a result of the incident.
REFERRAL TO THE PIRC
On 25 February 2020, BTP referred the incident to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) in terms of Section 33A (c) of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006 (as amended) and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Investigations Procedure, Serious Incidents and Specified Weapons) Regulations 2013.
The PIRC decided to investigate the use of Captor Incapacitant spray during the incident to ascertain if its use was necessary, justified and proportionate in the circumstances.
PIRC INVESTIGATION
During the course of the investigation, PIRC investigators obtained and reviewed statements from police witnesses, examined command and control incident logs, CCTV and Body Worn Camera evidence and force standard operating procedures.
They also obtained and examined Training Records which confirmed that both officers were trained and authorised to use Captor and personal safety training equipment at the time of the incident.
PIRC FINDINGS
The investigation finds that:
No recommendations are made.
13 May 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the circumstances of the death of an 83-year-old man following the discovery of his body at an address in Glasgow on 22 April 2021.
Our investigation will focus on the police interaction with the man in the lead up to his death.
The matter was referred to us by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and once our investigation is concluded, a report with our findings will be submitted to the COPFS for consideration.
13 May 2021 | Investigations
We are investigating the circumstances of the death of an 80-year-old man following the discovery of his body at an address in Glasgow on Friday 23 April 2021.
Our investigation will focus on the police interaction with the man in the lead up to his death.
The matter was referred to us by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and once our investigation is concluded, a report with our findings will be submitted to the COPFS for consideration.
13 May 2021 | Investigations
We investigated the discharge of an incapacitant spray, known as Captor, by a British Transport Police (BTP) officer during the arrest of an 18-year-old woman following an incident at Dalmuir Railway Station, Clydebank, on Friday 23 April 2021.
The matter was referred to us by BTP and a report was sent to them at the conclusion of our investigation.
