Police Scotland chiefs have said they “absolutely do not underestimate” the impact of the Alan Greer case on public trust in policing.
Greer, a long-serving police officer, was arrested on April 24 this year after a woman came forward to say she was raped in her home in Glasgow in 2012.
She had called police to report being the victim of a crime.
The matter triggered an investigation by the police anti-corruption unit, leading to the 47-year-old’s arrest and suspension from duty.
He was released without charge pending further investigation, and was found dead on May 6.
A police investigation into Greer’s alleged wrongdoing over a 14-year period is ongoing, including the identification and support of other victims.
Speaking at a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) on Thursday, Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said he understood the case would have a negative effect on public trust.
“Every instance where we see a police officer in court or convicted in court has a negative and adverse impact on public trust and confidence,” he said.
“I think it’s also really important to highlight that the vast, vast majority of our officers and staff do a brilliant job every day. Thankfully, the circumstances where we talk about officers in court are very, very small numbers.”
Asked by board member Katharina Kasper how that trust can be restored, Mr Speirs stressed the need for public engagement, and to demonstrate all perpetrators will be brought to justice.
“We moved forward in the Alan Greer case with urgency and with pace to make an arrest, to suspend him from duty, and we would take no different (action) in those circumstances,” he said.
“We need to work hard with with victims, with women and girls groups, to give them the assurance that they will be listened to and they will be supported.
“But we are utterly committed in this space. I think we’ve been very public and very vocal around the circumstances as we can articulate them in relation to our Alan Greer.”
Deputy Chief Constable Bex Smith echoed this, telling the meeting: “We absolutely do not underestimate the impact of something like this.
“We see it across the UK. It’s no different in Scotland. I completely understand your question around it.”
She added that she is “genuinely proud” of the way the force deals with violence against women and girls, but that it still has work to do.
“We know that this is a huge societal issue. It’s not something that is a sole policing issue, and we need to make sure we are working as a whole system and the infrastructure is correct to be able to support victims.”
Mr Speirs was also asked what assurances he could give that Greer would not pass current vetting arrangements for new officers.
The officer said the process has undergone a number of improvements over recent years, including improved systems and record-keeping, and a “sharper focus” on violence against women and girls.
He also said the vetting team has “probably doubled in size”, as well as being provided with “massively enhanced” training.
“We now have a robust risk assessment process where we’re looking at credibility, we’re looking at relevance, we’re looking at frequency, we’re looking at gravity when we consider any any vetted application,” he explained.
He added that the force has an “incredibly competitive” recruitment process, and that only about one in five applicants are accepted.
The meeting also heard police had faced “unprecedented levels of demand” over the weekend, with officers grappling with an anti-immigration protest and the Cairngorms wildfire, alongside the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Mr Speirs said officers were also deployed at two football matches as well as carrying out two “complex” murder investigations, and thanked them for their “significant efforts”.
“During the weekend just passed we experienced unprecedented demand on policing across Scotland,” he said.
“This included a significant protest in Glasgow, a multi-agency response to a major incident in Cairngorms, two high-profile football matches, as well as two complex murder inquiries.
“At a time when Scotland is under the spotlight of the Commonwealth Games, officers continue to stand up really well under huge pressure.”
