Police vehicles: High cost of compensation for forces
Police forces are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on compensation and legal fees following crashes involving their officers.
Forces in Scotland were asked how much had been paid in compensation, legal fees and repairs after collisions involving their vehicles since January 2008.
Strathclyde Police - Scotland's biggest force - paid out £255,744.70 in compensation for third party claims between January 1, 2008, and December 31 last year, following collisions involving police vehicles.
The total cost to repair police vehicles damaged in collisions during the period was £948,277.00, the force added.
It said a breakdown of legal fees would not be provided as the cost of examining around 387 files would exceed time limits under Freedom of Information legislation.
Lothian and Borders Police said they spent £11,911.53 for third party injuries and £103,588.07 for third party vehicle repairs when the police driver was deemed to have been responsible for the accident between April 2008 and January this year.
They have also forked out £4,349.06 on third party solicitors` fees and £10,047.04 for police solicitors including the cost of chasing responsible third parties.
The force said: "Due to the drawn-out nature of injury claims, settlement is not achieved as speedily as those claims where injury is not a feature, e.g, no personal injury payments have yet been made in respect of incidents that occurred after April 1, 2009."
The force also said the cost of repairing police vehicles, and other vehicles damaged in collisions, between April 2008 and January this year was £115,716.27. They successfully recovered £59,934.70 for repairs to vehicles when the third party was deemed responsible for the accident.
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said they had paid out £11,562.35 in compensation following collisions involving their vehicles between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2009. The force said no legal fees were paid during this time.
Northern Constabulary paid £45,438.23 for third party repairs, compensation and legal fees from January 1, 2008 to January 27, 2010.
They also forked out £143,856 for repairs to police vehicles involved in collisions for the period.
Northern Constabulary said: "Northern Constabulary uses the services of Highland Council for the purposes of administering insurance matters.
"From January 1, 2008 to January 27, 2010 our insurers have paid £45,438.23 for repairs, compensation and legal fees.
"However, because these matters are dealt with between insurance companies there is no separate breakdown available for repairs, compensation and legal costs."
Freedom of information
The figures were released following Freedom of Information requests to police forces in Scotland.
But some forces said they did not hold the information on compensation payouts.
Tayside Police said: "During the period January 1, 2008 to January 14, 2010 Tayside Police have paid out a total of £121,606.30 for repairs after collisions involving police vehicles.
"This figure includes parts, cost of repair and vehicle recovery. It should also be noted that in relation to recent collisions, that reimbursement from several third parties has not yet been received.
"Information relating to compensation and legal fees is not held by Tayside Police."
The force said claims for compensation were dealt with by their insurers through Dundee City Council.
Earlier this month police forces revealed they had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds for repairs to hundreds of vehicles following crashes with parked cars, walls and tree branches.
Strathclyde Police said 1,216 police vehicles were damaged by officers in collisions that did not involve other vehicles or other people between January 1, 2008, and January 25 this year. The repairs cost £721,715.48.
The main cause for damage to the police vehicles was noted as "collision with an object" and 44 had their blue lights on at the time.
