The training given to officers involved in a controversial death in custody is “dangerous and not fit for purpose”, an international expert claimed last night.
In the wake of the tragic death of Allan Marshall, Justice Secretary has demanded a review of the methods of restraint.
But Dr Brodie Paterson, clinical director of CALM training, told the Record the training regime for restraint employed by the SPS is unsafe as officers are not required to regularly practise what they were taught.
He was damning of methods employed by officers on the tragic morning in Saughton prison and suggested the use of body cameras would potentially promote safe practice.
He said: “CALM reject the inoculation model of training, once your trained it never gets re-visited. It’s not like riding a bicycle, you forget.”
He added: “Small deviation from the manual can become very dangerous.”
CCTV footage published by the Record earlier this month revealed officers had wrapped a towel around Allan’s face.
But Dr Paterson warned: “We would never endorse putting a towel over someone’s face.”
Asked about the current training regime in place at the prison service, his assessment was it is “dangerous and not fit for purpose”.
He insisted equipping prison officers with body cameras so the full details of any future incidents could be easily reviewed.
Dr Paterson, whose academic work includes influential papers on evaluating training and preventing restraint-related injuries and deaths, said: “Body cameras are a great idea – transparency keeps people safe.”
Labour last night described the analysis as a damning indictment of the Scottish Prison Service.
Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman James Kelly MSP said: “Poor training practices are not only dangerous for prisoners, they are potentially dangerous for prison officers too.”
“The Justice Secretary must re-examine how officers are trained.
"The video of the brutal restraining of Allan Marshall shocked Scotland and Humza Yousaf must take steps to ensure a tragedy like this is never repeated in a Scottish prison.”
Allan, 30, died following a violent incident on March 24, 2015. Officers had confronted him in a cell then dragged his naked body into a corridor.
His face was covered with a towel and feet were used to pin him face down on the floor. He suffered a cardiac arrest and died four days later Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
A sheriff ruled his death was “entirely preventable” and his family has called for action to be taken against staff.
But the training regime was defended by the Scottish Prison Service.
A spokesman said: “Control and restraint training is complex and critical de-escalation training routinely undertaken by SPS frontline staff. Training is delivered in-house by the SPS College and a network of trained national instructors.
“The C&R suite of training products includes an initial foundation course for all new operations officers, an annual refresher course for all prison officers and an additional course for operational managers.”
The fatal accident inquiry made 13 recommendations for improvement.
These included bringing the training manuals up to date and a system for ensuring staff have read and understood any instructions given to them.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Justice Secretary has asked the independent inspector to provide assurances as part of the Scottish Prison Services’ review of control and restraint.
“We recognise the importance of providing a safe environment for those in custody and will continue to work with the Scottish Prison Service and partners to ensure people in prison get the treatment they may need.”
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