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Thousands paid to fix police cars

08 March 2010

Thousands of pounds have been paid out for repairs to hundreds of police cars following crashes with parked cars, walls and tree branches, forces across Scotland have revealed.

But following the damage caused to the vehicles, of which only a small minority were during a 999 response, few officers have been reprimanded.

A number of forces have revealed the type of incidents that have occurred across Scotland since 2008.

An officer in the Northern Constabulary force reversed into an overhanging branch in Inverness causing £229 worth of damage, it was revealed.

And in another incident, the force revealed £404 worth of damage was caused when an officer hit a barrier, also in Inverness.

Forces were asked how many vehicles had been damaged in collisions that have not involved other vehicles or other persons since January 2008 and how much the repairs cost.

Strathclyde Police - Scotland's biggest force - 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.

Tayside Police said "reversing incidents" was the most common reason given for 133 collisions which didn't involve another vehicle or person between January 1, 2008, and to January 23 this year.

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