Author: Karin Goodwin in The Ferret
More than 200 people have died either in police custody or following contact by Police Scotland since the nationwide force was formed in 2013, The Ferret has found.
The figures, obtained under freedom of information legislation, reveal 35 people died while in police custody, including three women and 171 died after having contact with the police – a total of 206 people.
The numbers were from January 2013 until December 2022 and have been increasing over the last decade.
Campaigners said deaths in custody were “shrouded in secrecy”. They claimed the newly obtained figures highlighted the need for proper transparency and scrutiny, not only so police were held to account but also so lessons could be learned.
Police Scotland said it exercised its “duty of care in all public interactions” and strived to improve its service to communities across the country.
Many of those who died were still young. At least seven people who died were under 30. Some were intoxicated or suffering from mental health crises, according to Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI) reports analysed by The Ferret. We found several of those who died did not receive medical care despite this.
The names and ages of those who died are included in The Ferret report. These included that of a 33-year-old Ethiopian asylum seeker who jumped into the River Clyde and drowned after being chased by police.
Figures on deaths following police contact have risen substantially in recent years, more than doubling from 12 in 2015 to 27 in 2022.
Deborah Coles, executive director of the charity, Inquest, said:“The way the figures obfuscate serious systemic problems is of real concern.
“This reinforces the whole issue of deaths in police custody or following police contact being shrouded in secrecy. This doesn’t receive the scrutiny that it clearly needs.”
“The figures should be clear and complete, and robust processes must be in place to ensure that grieving families feel supported and receive accountability during a traumatic time for them.”
But assistant chief constable Alan Speirs, of Police Scotland, said robust procedures were already in place.
“Each year, thousands of people with a range of complex physical, mental and social issues have contact with police. It is therefore vital that any death following police contact is recorded and reviewed appropriately,” he added.
“This enables us to ensure that we did everything possible to safeguard that person. We have a duty of care in all public interactions and we continually strive to improve how we serve our communities.”