A former police officer who exposed a culture of misogyny and bullying at Forres police station has accepted a six-figure sum in compensation from Police Scotland.
Whistleblower Gemma MacRae, who left the force in 2021, was paid £431, 968 for the loss of her career, injury and stress after settling an employment tribunal against the force last month.
Ms MacRae’s former colleague Herbert Scott Gallop, known as Scott, was convicted of sexually assaulting her in 2022, five years after she reported him.
The conviction was the result of a Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) investigation at Forres Police Station, following complaints of a ‘boys’ club’ culture rooted in bullying and misogyny.
Ms MacRae, who now lives in Norway, has since waived her right to anonymity and is now calling for reform of the police complaints system following her “seven arduous years of torture”.
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs has vowed to personally meet her to apologise.
‘Seven years is a long time to fight for justice’
In an interview with BBC News, Ms MacRae said: “The toxic masculinity and power used against me was inexcusable and cruel. I am physically and mentally drained.
“Seven years is a long time to fight for justice against an organisation that is meant to represent it.”
Stephen Smith, solicitor at Livingstone Brown, told The Press and Journal that other women police officers from across Scotland “have said the same things”.
He said they had “fallen foul of a male-dominated management hierarchy which has been able to use internal procedures to delay and avoid investigating what has happened to them”, adding that an employment tribunal was a “last resort”.
He added: “There’s no doubt this takes a toll on them, as it has on Gemma.
“They should not be left in this position in any organisation, let alone one that is created to protect people.”
A spokeswoman for Pirc said: “We were instructed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to investigate allegations of potential criminality against officers of Police Scotland.
“The matter was referred to us in December 2018 and, following our investigation, a detailed and comprehensive report of our findings was submitted to the COPFS in April 2020 for consideration.
“Our reports and findings are confidential due to legal reasons.”
DCC to personally apologise
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “Misogyny, sexism and discrimination of any kind is utterly unacceptable – it has no place in society and no place in policing.
“I will personally meet with Gemma and apologise for the way she was treated.
“Pirc conducted an independent Crown-directed investigation and Police Scotland fully assisted with those enquiries.
“Since this investigation, Police Scotland assessed a number of matters and – although conduct proceedings are private – appropriate action was taken to address behaviour that was not in line with our values of integrity, fairness, respect and upholding human rights.
“Police Scotland is meeting these challenges head-on through sustained, tangible and measurable activity, driving a relentless focus on our values and standards under our Policing Together programme.”
