A record number of serving Police Scotland officers are facing allegations of sexual misconduct, according to reports.
The soaring figures were revealed in a report to the Scottish Police Authority’s Complaints and Conduct Committee earlier this month, the Times reported.
The figures come from the Professional Standards Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 2 of 2022-23 which was shared with the SPA ahead of the meeting.
The number of complaints being investigated has more than quadrupled since 2021.
While there were 12 sex complaints this time last year, the number of cases being investigated has risen to 51.
The reports also revealed that the number of serving officers suspended from duty those by 65 per cent and for civilian staff it soared by almost 170%.
Police Scotland had previously attributed rising numbers of sexual misconduct-related complaints to increased awareness prompted by high-profile cases like the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police Officer, Wayne Couzens.
READ MORE: Hundreds quit Police Scotland after less than a decade, figures show
The former officer has been given a whole life sentence for the crime.
Chief Superintendent Catriona Henderson told the committee that an increase in such complaints had been expected, following ‘some awareness raising’ with staff now more confident that those reports will be taken seriously.
She added in reports by the Times: “So, following that, once we start to embed and once we change culture, which is the ethos behind the ‘Values’ campaign and the Standards of Professional Behaviour preventions campaign, we would like to think we do start to see a tail-off in terms of volume and we would be monitoring that accordingly.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A review of Police Scotland’s response to organisational learning has recently been carried out across the service by a contracted auditor.
“This work took place as part of our commitment to delivering an Organisational Learning function, as set out in our Policing Plan.
“The report has recently been received and is being considered.”
Speaking on the Values campaign, a spokesperson added: "Policing Together is a drive to improve how policing in Scotland reflects, represents and serves our communities. The recently launched Values campaign is part of Policing Together, and aims to improve understanding among officers and staff of the organisation’s values, ethics and standards of professional behaviour.”
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