Police Scotland outsources part of whistleblowing process to a charity

Protect, a charity that specialises in helping people who wish to raise concerns, will give officers the option of speaking to experts about issues such as corruption and other wrongdoing.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said: “Given what has happened in the service in recent years, we need an independent and reliable reporting service now more than ever. Hopefully this step will allow officers and staff to feel more able to report any issues that they see so that they can be properly addressed.”

Police Scotland has faced criticism over the the way its internal whistleblowing system has operated since 2014.

The force’s Professional Standards Department and the now-defunct Counter Corruption Unit were often the subject of complaints themselves. Officers felt uncomfortable about raising matters if they related to the PSD or CCU.

Some detectives believed their complaints were not taken seriously, while others argued that the CCU, which has been rebadged, also targeted individual officers.

In an interview last year, Police Investigations & Review Commissioner Kate Frame said some whistleblowers were scared to come forward with allegations against colleagues or bosses.

She also called for the single force to learn from England and Wales by allowing an independent organisation to manage Police Scotland’s whistleblowing hotline.

Officers who wish to raise concerns about colleagues are presented with a range of options, such as using the “Integrity Matters” system or contacting a line manager.

But in a nod to Frame, Police Scotland has added an independent element by giving officers the chance of speaking to experts unconnected to the force.

Protect, formerly Public Concern at Work, has advised around 40,000 people on its free and confidential advice line, and will provide the service for the force.

The change also confirms that Police Scotland is comfortable using the word “whistleblowing”, unlike in previous years. Phil Gormley, the former chief constable, said in 2016: “I am simply aware that there are a range of views on the term ‘whistleblowing’. It does not offend me, but some people would say that it has a pejorative context.”

In an article posted on the force’s intranet, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “Whistleblowing is an important source of information that can highlight serious risks to the effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation, with individuals often being best placed to identify deficiencies and problems at the earliest opportunity.

“Police Scotland has a number of options available to people. I am delighted to welcome a leading voice with a strong track record in whistleblowing advice to provide this service.”

Speaking to this newspaper, Speirs added: “There are a number of routes within Police Scotland where they can report matters like this.

“Ideally we would encourage them to use those routes, but where an individual, just for different reasons, may lack the confidence to do that, this offers something independent and outside Police Scotland.”

Asked about Gormley’s previous comment, he said: “It’s something that has been discussed in great detail, but it is terminology that applies way beyond Police Scotland, so we are really comfortable with the terminology.”

Jon Cunningham, interim chief executive at Protect, said: “We are delighted to be working with Police Scotland offering whistleblowers support and advice.

“Speaking up about concerns isn’t easy, so we would like to reassure Police Scotland officers and staff that we are here to help.

“Police Scotland, like many of our clients, recognise an open transparent whistleblowing culture is key to supporting a strong workforce and serves as a risk governance tool to flag any wrongdoing.”