Police Scotland officers may have been COVID pandemic 'super-spreaders', inquiry hears
Police Scotland officers may have acted as "super-spreaders" during the pandemic as expert advice was "ignored" by the Scottish government and the force's ex-chief constable, an inquiry heard.
Calum Steele, ex-general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), former chairman David Hamilton, and vice chairman Brian Jones gave evidence at the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry on Monday.
A Scottish government decision not to prioritise frontline police during the vaccine rollout was branded "perverse", with one officer attending 75 callouts to different households in a single weekend, the inquiry heard.
Allegations that ex-chief constable Sir Iain Livingstone rejected calls for frontline officers to be given spare vaccines, refused to issue reusable rubber masks used by officers in Northern Ireland due to appearance, and refused an alternative to roadside breath testing despite concerns about COVID transmission were also aired at the inquiry.
Giving evidence, union leaders said ex-justice secretary Humza Yousaf branded the SPF a "disgrace", recalled they were a "pain in the backside", and the conflict "became personal", while evidence from a panel of experts commissioned by the SPF was met with "suspicion" and "ignored" by the government.
Mr Steele said Police Scotland "substantially absolved itself of health and safety responsibility" regarding adequacy of personal protective equipment (PPE), despite an agreement before lockdown that FFP3 masks would be issued.
He said the force "refused" to log the rate of usage, and the risks were "exacerbated" by using the same mask throughout a shift.
Mr Steele said: "The issue of FFP3 masks is probably the best example of the police service knowing it has a health and safety obligation and then ignoring it.
"We were largely dealing with people who were not complying with restrictions, people sceptical of the pandemic and therefore at greater risk.
"If a police officer attended an address that required them to wear an FFP3 mask, a risk assessment said it should be discarded. But the police service was not counting the masks that were being burned through."
He claimed officers were reusing the mask at other addresses, and that "making physical contact with the mask with their fingertips, the risk was exacerbated".
Mr Steele said: "One of my colleagues went to 75 different households in one weekend. We were worried about acting as super-spreaders and have evidence that happened."
Mr Jones claimed there were other items "that would have saved money".
He said: "The Police Service of Northern Ireland bought a rubber mask which can be cleaned. That was thought to be militaristic. That was the decision of the chief constable at the time."
The SPF also called for roadside breath tests to be replaced amid transmission concerns, but the response from the police service was said to be "totally dismissive".
Mr Hamilton said: "It showed the force in a quite ugly way. We always accepted we had a job to do but we could minimise the risks."
Mr Hamilton further said it was "wholly inappropriate" frontline officers were not given priority during the vaccine rollout, as he alleged Sir Iain refused to allow officers to use spare jabs, citing "it's bad optics".
Mr Hamilton said: "Frontline officers tended to be the youngest and the last to get it. I would have given my vaccine to someone in their 20s.
"Those most at risk were last to get it. It was a Scottish government choice not to vaccinate police officers they accepted were high risk."
Mr Steele added: "That remains one of the most perverse decisions that really reinforced that they were casually disregarded."
The inquiry, before Lord Brodie, continues.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
44 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Cole Cooper's family say ‘they can't wake up from living nightmare' after teen's tragic death
In a tribute on Facebook, his auntie said the family's 'worst fears have become reality' FAMILY'S AGONY Cole Cooper's family say 'they can't wake up from living nightmare' after teen's tragic death Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) COLE Cooper's heartbroken family are "now living a nightmare" they "can't wake up from" following the teen's tragic death. On Friday at around 4.15pm, a body was found during the search for the missing 19-year-old who disappeared from Banknock, near Falkirk, at the start of last month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 A body was found in the search for missing teen Cole Cooper on Friday Credit: Police Scotland 5 His family have now confirmed that Cole was found Credit: Police Scotland 5 Emergency crews scrambled to woods in Banknock near Kilsyth Road Credit: Michael Schofield Cole's family were made aware of the discovery in the woods in Banknock near Kilsyth Road in the village. The desperate search to find the missing teen had gone on for over four weeks. His family have now broken their silence to confirm Cole had been found. In a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook, his auntie Aimee Tennie said the family's "worst fears have become reality". And said they never gave up hope during the search. The post, on behalf of the family, read: "Cole. Our boy. We fought for you for almost five weeks. "Why? How? So many questions… and still, no answers. "With shattered hearts, we share the devastating news that our beloved Cole, who was missing, has been found but not in the way we hoped or prayed for. "Our worst fears have become reality and we are now living a nightmare we can't wake up from. "We never gave up, and we will never give up, not until we have the answers. The fight for truth, for justice, and for Cole is not over. Pheobe Bishop cops arrest 34-year-old flatmate who was last to see missing Aussie teen on explosive journey to airport "Cole, you were our world — and now our world will never be the same. "Your life was only just beginning. The world didn't get to know the light you carried, but we did and we will carry it with us, always." Aimee then thanked the community for all their support and invited them to a vigil which will be held for Cole. She added: "To the incredible community and beyond, thank you. From the bottom of our hearts. "Your support through this horrendous experience has meant more than words can ever say. Every message, every shared post, every act of kindness — your generosity and compassion carried us through our darkest moments. We will never forget it. "We would like to invite you all to a vigil for Cole, this is important for us to tell Cole about you all. About everyone who supported, loved and cared for him. 5 Missing person posters were put up around the area during the search Credit: PA 5 Cops revealed they had scoured over 2,000 hours of CCTV to find him Credit: Michael Schofield "He didn't deserve any of this. But the least we can do as a family is honour him the way he deserved. We will post details at a later date. "As a family we are completely broken by this news so we would appreciate privacy at this time. Cole, we love you." A major search was launched to find Cole, with specialist units, drones, divers and helicopters all called in. Dedicated officers were assigned to lead the hunt for Cole as his devastated family pled for answers. Cops revealed they had scoured over 2,000 hours of CCTV to find him. Hundreds of volunteers had even came out to help the family search the area where he went missing. A Police Scotland spokesperson said on Friday: "Around 4.15pm on Friday, 6 June, 2025, the body of a man was discovered in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in Banknock. "Formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing man Cole Cooper, 19, has been informed. "Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances."
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Nigel Farage U-turns on plan to scrap all MSPs and put Scottish MPs in Holyrood instead
The Reform UK leader once wanted a watered down parly when he bossed the Ukip party U-TURN Nigel Farage U-turns on plan to scrap all MSPs and put Scottish MPs in Holyrood instead Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NIGEL Farage has U-turned on a plan to scrap all MSPs and put Scottish MPs in Holyrood instead. The Reform UK leader wanted a watered down parly when he bossed the Ukip party — but now concedes 'devolution is here to stay'. 1 Nigel Farage says devolution is here to stay Credit: Getty But he told The Scottish Sun: 'I don't think you can turn the clock back. We're not going to reverse devolution.' Mr Farage previously wanted to axe our parliament as we know it and put Scotland's Westminster politicians in there when they decide on Scottish-only matters. Reform surged to third in last week's Hamilton by-election — fewer than 1,500 votes behind winners Labour. Farage — bookies' favourite to be the next PM — hit out at 'excesses of the Scottish Parliament' such as whopping construction costs and 'the fact that it's really failed quite badly to deliver on some of its key objectives — education in particular, and health'. He said: 'The job now is to make sure it's done better.' Reform grabbed 26.1 per cent of the vote last week, the SNP 29.4 per cent and Labour 31.6 per cent. Farage's party is tipped to grab at least a dozen MSPs at the 2026 election — but has been criticised for a lack of devolved policies. Asked how his party would spend £10billion if they had power in Scotland, Mr Farage said: 'What about creating money? What about creating wealth and jobs? What about upping the average income of people living in Scotland? That's my priority.' Reform has published a one-page, 200-word 'position paper' which states: 'We have a vision where personal liberty and free speech are respected and promoted, support is available when needed, but life is largely untrammelled by government interference.' It also plugs 'traditional Scottish values' like 'integrity, thrift, hard work and tolerance'. Dark curse ravaging 'UK's best high street' On independence, it says Scotland should stay as a 'full and respected member of the UK
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Farage's proposal is just the latest undermining of the Barnett system
This, according to senior criminologists and ex-police officers, is not just a failure of admin, it's the result of austerity-era cuts that stripped police forces of capacity, dismantled the state-run Forensic Science Service in 2012, and left fragmented, underfunded systems to cope with ballooning evidence demands. Austerity didn't just weaken institutions; it disassembled infrastructure. READ MORE: Nigel Farage could cut the Barnett Formula. Here's what devolution experts think of that While these failings may seem like an English and Welsh concern, they tell a broader UK-wide story. Because when public services are cut in England, the Barnett formula translates those cuts into reduced budget allocations for Holyrood, too. Scotland has long borne the dual burden of being denied full fiscal autonomy while also seeing its devolved budget squeezed by decisions made for entirely different priorities south of the Border. Cuts to police, criminal courts, housing, public health, and local government in England have systematically eroded the spending floor on which Scottish services rest. So when justice collapses in England, it affects Scotland financially – even if the governance is separate. And now, against this backdrop of UK-wide budgetary degradation, Nigel Farage has called for the scrapping of the Barnett formula entirely. It's a move that's politically convenient, historically illiterate, and economically reckless. But more than anything, it's a distillation of what's already happening by stealth. Successive UK governments have undermined the foundations of the Barnett system – and devolution itself – for more than a decade. READ MORE: Furious Anas Sarwar clashes with BBC journalist over Labour policies It's obvious to every Scot that Farage's view relies on a mischaracterisation of Barnett as a subsidy, when in fact it simply ensures Scotland receives a proportional share of changes to spending in England for devolved services. It doesn't calculate entitlement or need, it mirrors policy shifts at Westminster. If England increases education or health spending, Scotland sees a relative uplift. If England cuts deeply, Scotland's budget falls, even if demand remains or rises. This has led to an absurd and punitive dynamic where Scotland loses funding not by its own decisions, but because England spends less. And when Scotland chooses to maintain higher standards in public services, it must do so from a proportionately smaller pot. Perversely, it doesn't stop there, though. Since the 2016 Brexit vote, Westminster has begun bypassing devolved governments directly. Funds like the Levelling Up Fund and Shared Prosperity Fund are allocated by UK ministers to local authorities, often bypassing Holyrood entirely. Promises made in The Vow on the eve of the 2014 independence referendum to deliver near-federal powers and respect Scottish decision-making have unravelled. READ MORE: SNP must turn support for independence into 'real political action' The Internal Market Act has overridden devolved laws under the banner of market 'consistency'. Powers that returned from Brussels in areas like food standards, procurement, and agriculture were supposed to go to Holyrood, but in many cases they were retained by Westminster. The Sewel Convention, once a safeguard of devolved consent, has been treated as optional. Farage's proposal to scrap Barnett isn't an outlier, it's the natural conclusion of a decade-long pattern: cut services in England, shrink the Barnett allocation, bypass devolved institutions, and then blame the devolved nations for 'taking more than their share'. There's no consideration of fairness, or implementation of a needs-based analysis, it's a strategy of erosion; one that gouges out the Union from the centre while draping itself in the flag. The failures of justice in England, catastrophic as they are, expose a deeper injustice: the systematic unravelling of the constitutional promises made to Scotland. Ron Lumiere via email
