§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate how many prosecutions there have been against police officers in Scotland in each of the last 10 years in connection with alleged offences committed during the course of their duty.
The Lord AdvocateRecords of prosecutions against police officers in Scotland are not available before 1969. However, the number of prosecutions in the years since records were kept are as follows:
1969 … 15 1970 … 19 1971 … 21 1972 … 16 1973 … 31 1974 … 21 1975 … 35 1976 (to 30th November) … 36
§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate whether he will make a statement on the rôle of the procurators fiscal with regard to complaints by the public against police officers.
The Lord AdvocateIf the complaint contains an allegation that a police officer has committed a criminal offence an investigation is carried out by the procurator fiscal for the district concerned. If he finds any substance in the complaint he reports the case to Crown counsel for their instructions. The procurator fiscal is not concerned with complaints which do not include an allegation of commission of a criminal offence.