Police officers are being given lessons on Scotland’s role in the slave trade under a new training scheme for probationers, it has been revealed.
The course is part of a revised induction process for trainees which also looks at Scottish history and the ethics of policing.
Officers are told about the part Scots played in slavery in a bid to tackle prejudice and boost understanding of equality and inclusion in the ranks.
The disclosure comes after former Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone sparked anger among officers last year after claiming his own force was institutionally racist and discriminatory.
But it also comes after top brass said cash-strapped Police Scotland could no longer afford to fully investigate thousands of ‘minor’ crimes under a new ‘proportionate strategy’ response.
Scottish Conservative Justice spokesman Russell Findlay said lessons about slavery for Police Scotland probationers was “an exercise in virtual signalling”
Last night there was concern from police leaders and opposition politicians that the slavery course was ‘virtue-signalling’ and may be regarded as ‘box-ticking’.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), representing rank-and-file officers, said: ‘Most officers would know about slavery and would have been taught about it before getting the job – and if not maybe that’s a problem for wider society and the education system, for example, rather than policing.
‘This flows from Sir Iain’s statement about racism last year but I don’t believe the service is now – or was then – a racist organisation.
‘It may be that some of this training content is relevant but most officers would prefer to be properly trained and equipped for the job – and some of them may see this as box-ticking, and something that shouldn’t be such a priority.’
Tom McMahon, director of strategy and analysis at Police Scotland, said the force had introduced a ‘revised delivery model for probationer training’.
In documents submitted to the people committee of the Scottish Police Authority, the civilian oversight body for Police Scotland, he said this ‘will include a lesson on Scottish history and the ethics of policing, educating on the role Scotland played in slavery and significant events over the years and their impact on policing then and now’.
He said: ‘There will also be a lesson on Scottish communities including current demographic information and any cultural barriers that exist and problems encountered.’
But last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: ‘Police Scotland would be better devoting attention on tackling criminal gangs who exploit victims of modern slavery rather than indulge in history lessons for new recruits.
‘People from poorer countries are routinely smuggled into Scotland where they are threatened, with male victims typically subject to enforced labour and females forced into prostitution.
‘This exercise in virtue-signalling is also questionable given recent concerns about the quality of officer training in respect of the SNP’s hate crime law.’
Last week Chief Constable Jo Farrell said she was sorry for ‘recent and historical injustices’ suffered by ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and intersex’ people.
In December last year, a watchdog disclosed that potential police recruits had withdrawn their job applications after Sir Iain said the force was institutionally racist – a position backed by Ms Farrell when she replaced him in October 2023.
Craig Naylor – His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland – said Sir Iain’s statement had left many officers feeling ‘disenchanted’.
In an excoriating report into how Police Scotland is run, he said the comments led to public ‘negativity’ towards officers and their families.
Earlier this week, the Mail reported that police officers are quitting in their droves amid heavy workloads and stress as the force faces a ‘perfect storm’ of recruitment and retention, according to exit interviews.
Those leaving Police Scotland told the SPF about a lack of support from bosses and welfare issues.
According to the SPF’s exit survey, those leaving said there was a ‘complete lack of any strategic leadership’ and a ‘do-more-with-less attitude’ among managers.
Last year a top academic and race adviser suggested that slavery lessons should be introduced in Scottish schools to teach children about Britain’s colonial past.
Sir Geoff Palmer, chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, said classes on slavery should be viewed as core subjects in the same way as maths and English.
He previously reviewed Edinburgh’s past role in slavery and colonialism, which led City of Edinburgh Council to apologise for suffering caused by the city’s involvement in the trade.
Asked about the slavery course last night, a Police Scotland spokesman reiterated a previous statement by Ms Farrell in which she said ‘people from all communities must know that when we talk about keeping people safe, we mean them’.
She said: ‘All communities must feel able to speak to the police, to report a crime or to share information.
‘I want people from all communities to see policing as a potential career.’
