Police Scotland Suspends 45 Officers Amid Growing Violence Against Women Scandal

Police Scotland has confirmed that 45 serving officers are currently suspended from duty in connection with allegations of violence against women and girls, a figure that Chief Constable Jo Farrell acknowledged could rise as scrutiny of the force intensifies.

In an interview with BBC Scotland News, Farrell described violence against women and girls in Scotland as an "epidemic," adding that police organizations are not insulated from the wider societal problem. She said between 40 and 50 personnel are currently off work while investigations into their conduct proceed, with those inquiries at varying stages. The force later clarified the precise number as 45, noting that not all of those suspended are the subject of an active criminal investigation.

The suspensions come amid a turbulent period for Scottish policing, following a series of high-profile convictions of former officers for sexual offenses. Farrell said she anticipates that additional officers will face sanctions as more allegations surface and as vetting procedures are strengthened.

Central to the current scrutiny is the case of Alan Greer, a former officer who was posthumously exposed as a serial rapist. A BBC Disclosure investigation in July revealed that Greer had repeatedly attacked and attempted to murder women over a 14-year period. He took his own life in May at the age of 47.

The investigation further found that Greer had passed vetting checks to join what was then Strathclyde Police in 2009, despite having two prior reports of criminal behavior against women on his record. Farrell confirmed that an independent review into the handling of the Greer case is under way, with parts of its findings due to be made public.

"It is an ongoing investigation, but it is also subject to an independent review to find out whether there were any opportunities to identify his offending earlier and whether there is any learning from that," Farrell told BBC Scotland. She said colleagues elsewhere in the United Kingdom are examining the case to determine whether warning signs were missed and what systemic changes may be required.

Greer is one of three former Scottish officers to be exposed as a rapist this year alone. In July, Cameron Ross, 39, was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of raping two women and threatening to kill a third. His offenses spanned a decade and occurred in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and in Inverness. Ross has since launched an appeal against both his conviction and his sentence.

Last month, former police sergeant Campbell Petrie, 50, was found guilty of a series of sexual attacks on women between 2006 and 2023. Petrie had first been arrested 17 years ago following a complaint by one of his victims but remained in the force until his retirement. He was suspended by Police Scotland in December 2023 after being charged, yet was permitted to retire two years later. He was convicted of two counts of rape and numerous other charges, including physical and sexual abuse against two women in Glasgow.

In a separate case, 24-year-old officer Jay Skivington was sentenced in October to 160 hours of unpaid work and handed a five-year non-harassment order for violent offenses against a woman.

The cumulative effect of these cases has placed immense pressure on Police Scotland's leadership and raised serious questions about recruitment vetting and the force's ability to identify and remove dangerous individuals. First Minister John Swinney has expressed "full confidence" in Police Scotland and in the renewed vetting process, but opposition politicians and women's advocacy groups have demanded urgent reform.

Farrell revealed that between 300 and 400 officers have been re-vetted under new regulations introduced earlier this year, a process triggered in part by the murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens. Approximately 6,000 officers and 2,000 civilian staff are still awaiting re-vetting.

The chief constable said the updated rules make it easier to remove individuals deemed unsuitable to serve. "It's only now during this year there has been a change in the vetting regime. So for the first time, if an officer fails their vetting, they can be exited from policing," she said, describing the shift as "very recent" and "welcome."

Experts in policing and gender-based violence have long argued that vetting alone is insufficient without a cultural shift within law enforcement. Dr. Fiona Gray, a criminologist at the University of Edinburgh, said the scale of the problem reflects deeper institutional failures. "When you have multiple officers committing serial offenses over years, it points to a systemic inability to listen to victims and act on early warnings," she said. "Vetting reform is necessary but must be accompanied by accountability at every level."

Women's Aid Scotland has called for independent oversight of all misconduct investigations, arguing that internal reviews risk perpetuating a culture of protection. A spokesperson said survivors need to see tangible consequences for officers who abuse their power, not just suspensions that may drag on for months or years.

Farrell urged women to have confidence in reporting offenses committed by police officers, emphasizing that allegations will be taken seriously. She said the force is committed to transparency and to learning from past failures, particularly in the Greer case.

The suspensions represent one of the largest single groups of Scottish officers removed from duty over gender-based violence allegations. As re-vetting continues and independent reviews unfold, the coming months will test whether Police Scotland can rebuild public trust while demonstrating that no officer is above the law.