Watchdog to probe police use of force on children

An probe has been launched into Police Scotland's usage of unit against children.

The Children and Young People's Commissioner (CYPC) probe comes aft figures revealed that children are doubly arsenic apt to acquisition the usage of unit from officers than adults.

Police Scotland said it welcomed the determination aft quarterly figures showed determination were 1,115 recorded uses of unit against children successful 2023/24.

The incidents ranged from officers utilizing batons, spray gas, limb restraints, spit hoods, and empty-handed force.

Commissioner Nicola Killean said: "All children nether 18 person the close to beryllium treated with humanity, dignity and successful a mode that takes into relationship the needs of their age.

"Children successful struggle with the instrumentality indispensable beryllium treated archetypal and foremost arsenic children."

In July Scotland became the archetypal portion of the UK to incorporated a UN charter connected children's rights into law.

It requires each Scotland’s nationalist authorities, including the government, to question to support children and young people’s rights and to see them erstwhile making argumentation decisions.

The enactment besides allows children and young people to usage the courts to enforce their rights.

Ms Killean added: "Police request to instrumentality a quality rights-based attack which treats children with care, sensitivity, fairness, and respect."

Last twelvemonth the UN told the UK and Scottish governments that immoderate forms of constabulary usage of unit against children should beryllium banned.

Nick Hobbs, the CYCP's caput of proposal and investigations, said: "The information that children are overmuch much apt to acquisition constabulary unit is of superior interest – usage of unit tin beryllium profoundly traumatising.

“By utilizing the Commissioner’s powers of investigation, we volition found what further information Police Scotland holds beyond what is successful the nationalist domain."

He said much accusation was needed connected the level oregon frequence of unit utilized arsenic good arsenic factors specified arsenic age, enactment and race.

Mr Hobbs added: "Use of unit by the authorities against children indispensable beryllium decently and afloat scrutinised and that requires entree to disaggregated data.”

The CYPC says it volition enactment with partners done the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) to unafraid amended protections with children successful struggle with the law.

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: "The rights of our children are astatine the bosom of everything we bash and we invited the commission's announcement of an probe which focuses connected this important area."

The Scottish Police Authority has been approached for comment.