Police Scotland officers being 'treated with contempt' by Scottish Government and chief constable over pay

Police officers are being “treated with contempt” by the Scottish Government and chief constable over the absence of a pay deal, the head of the organisation which represents them has claimed.

David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) which acts for more than 16,500 officers, has revealed it is now looking at the “next course of action” in its campaign to ensure members receive the rise they have asked for.

The “staff side” submitted its claim for a 5.7% increase for the year 2024/25 back in May.

However, five months on, no formal offer has yet been made by the “official side”, which is made up of Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Government.

The government said the pay claim is being progressed in the “normal practice”.

But speaking to justice magazine 1919, published today (TUE), Kennedy said: “The chief constable, the SPA and the Scottish Government have let the service down.

“We are the backbone of the public sector. We pick up everything else that others don’t do, and we continue to do so.

“What is keeping the police service afloat isn’t policy or procedure. What’s keeping it afloat are the people who work for the service – the cops – yet they’re being treated with total contempt.

“We demand to be treated fairly, and to be treated with the respect that our members who are hard-working police officers deserve.

“We will now be looking at what we can legally do within the regulations and that will be the next course of action that we will take.”

Police officers cannot go on strike, but they can withdraw ‘goodwill’, which involves measures such as refusing to work late shifts or take on extra, unpaid responsibilities.

Last year, following a lengthy dispute, a 7% wage rise was agreed, after an initial claim of 8.5% was repeatedly rejected.

As well as the pay deal, the two sides also agreed to commission an independent review into police officer pay and benefits to “identify mechanisms to ensure appropriate wage growth within policing going forward from 2025/26”.

The Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde was awarded that contract earlier this year by the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, the public body that negotiates the pay, terms and conditions of police officers in Scotland.

The first element of this research relates to wage growth from 2025/26 onwards, while the second relates to current pay and benefits and will look at the “unique nature” of the role of a police officer in society.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The pay claim for police officers is being progressed through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, as is normal practice. We note that Mr Kennedy said [in September] that the claim is progressing in a positive manner.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority said: “The authority and Police Scotland are working hard, through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, to agree an affordable pay award for Scotland’s officers. Discussions remain ongoing.”