Nearly 300 complaints a month are being made to Police Scotland about the conduct of their officers.
Allegations of assault, corruption, discrimination, excessive force, rudeness, neglect of duty, harassment and motoring offences all form part of the issues being raised.
The shock figures – obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI) – show that 14,780 officers were the subject of 23,798 complaints between April 2014 and December 2020.
All accusations of improper conduct are normally investigated by Police Scotland’s Professional Standards Unit.
Sanctions against offending officers can range from a verbal warning to dismissal.
According to the FOI report, 45 per cent of the 23,798 complaints were minor and resolved following an explanation or apology.
But 1834 contained allegations of criminality, including 204 of sexual misconduct.
Seven officers were sacked as a result of the crime claims and 42 retired or resigned.
Out of the 14,780 officers, 9561 had more than one complaint against them and four had between 20 and 25.
Last month Constable David Taylor, 37, was jailed for 14 months for bombarding women crime victims – whose cases he was investigating – with obscene texts and photos.
Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Pat Campbell, who is responsible for organised crime, counter-terrorism and intelligence, was suspended from duty after allegations made by a woman at an awards ceremony at a hotel in Edinburgh in November.
The incident is being probed the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.
In March we told how a police custody officer was disciplined after she dressed up as a clown to mock a female prisoner. The incident was among 14 complaints the unnamed woman made after she was arrested.
Three years ago ACC Bernie Higgins was cleared of misconduct by watchdog body the Scottish Police Authority over claims he illegally discharged a gun at a police firing range.
Higgins, who was temporarily suspended from duty, delayed his retirement to clear his name.
He was responsible for policing the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in November before retiring last week.
In August we revealed how Police Scotland has set up a secret watchlist of officers who are the subject of repeated complaints about conduct.
Anyone who amasses four or more complaints in any 12-month period is added to the list.
Last year a damning report by former lord advocate Dame Elish Angiolini found major issues over how Police Scotland handled
complaints from the public.
David Kennedy, deputy general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said the nature of their job made cops vulnerable to complaints and many had long waits to hear the outcome.
He added: “The service has put processes in place to root out the more serious complaints, which we welcome. We don’t want bad police officers to slip through the net.
“It should also be remembered police officers have bad days just like any member of the public. They just want to get on with their jobs as best they can.”
The Sunday Mail revealed in November how police received a complaint for each day of the Cop26 climate conference, which lasted 25 days, in Glasgow.
Scottish Conservative Russell Findlay said: “The Scottish Government are responsible for the flawed police complaints system and must act on the recommendations highlighted in Dame Angiolini’s report.”
Chief Superintendent Andy McDowall said: “When a serious allegation is made about a police officer, a detailed and thorough investigation is undertaken.
“Any proven behaviour where an officer has breached the trust of the public and exploited their position is assessed at the highest end of misconduct, where sanctions can include dismissal.”
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