A north-east man is calling for a change in the law to ensure police officers convicted of criminal offences are “unconditionally dismissed”.
Former Grampian Police officer Angus Grant is urging Holyrood’s public petitions committee to put pressure on SNP ministers to review existing legislation after it emerged that 188 men and women serving in Scotland have criminal records.
The 52-year-old from Elgin is aggrieved he was forced to resign from the force in August 2006 after he was convicted of swearing at police officers who arrested him in Elgin while he was off-duty on Christmas Day, 2003.
He was charged after a brawl with another man who he claims attacked him with a knife.
The man was not arrested and Mr Grant vented his fury at the officers, which led to his arrest.
He said yesterday that he decided to lodge a petition because he thinks it is “unfair” that he was forced out of his job after 27 years’ service for a “non-criminal, internal matter” while officers who have been convicted of more serious offences have been allowed to stay.
Mr Grant, who says his con viction was quashed last year, claims a “hard-line” approach to the law would restore public confidence in the police and end the culture which allows a chief constable to “pick and choose who he wants to keep or get rid of”.
Figures released by the Liberal Democrats in March showed 40 officers in Grampian have been convicted of either common or indecent assault, two for perverting the course of justice and eight for breach of the peace.
A further 20 have been convicted of driving offences and one for vandalism.
Northern Constabulary has two officers in its ranks who have been convicted of assault.
Lib Dem chief whip and MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Mike Rumbles said the party supported Mr Grant’s petition.
“The public will wonder how a police officer convicted of perverting the course of justice can perform their duty effectively,” he added.
Grampian Police’s head of professional standards Superintendent Iain McGrory declined to comment on Mr Grant’s case but said each complaint is “weighed carefully” with consideration for all the factors involved.
“We have a system which is designed to ensure fairness and impartiality,” he said.
“There are a number of options available to officers who wish to appeal cases which have gone against them.”
The public petitions committee has taken up Mr Grant’s case with the Scottish Government and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland.
They have until August 21 to report back to MSPs.