In the last five years, police forces in the UK have paid nearly £80m in compensation following claims against them. Figures obtained by Public Interest Lawyers found that 47,658 claims have been lodged against police forces since 2019.
Claims are often put in against a police force if someone feels they have been mistreated or if they feel the police abused their position.
Examples of claims against the police include malicious prosecution, wrongful arrest, sexual misconduct, assault, traffic accidents, and property damage.
Some claims against the police can be made for exceptional circumstances, for example, forces across the UK paid out more than £300,000 in compensation in the last three years after officers raided the homes of innocent people, according to the Express.
This amount resulted from at least 255 separate cases of police forces battering down the wrong doors.
Complaints against the police are rocketing
In 2019/2020, 8,240 claims were lodged against police forces, 2,627 of which were settled, the lowest number of claims over the past five years.
A year later, this number increased to 8,365 claims, with 2,237 of these settled.
Services have experienced another rise in claims over the past year, totalling 11,436.
Another reason for a claim against the police is sexual misconduct. Worryingly, this has become the main source of complaints to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) – the UK police watchdog.
In a May 2022 report, the IOPC said it was ‘highly likely’ the scale of sexual misconduct within law enforcement ‘remains under-represented’, as not all victims report misconduct, with some fearing they won’t be believed.
Signs of inappropriate sexual behaviour by a police officer, such as private contact, nurturing dependence or being overly familiar, have all been grounds for victims to pursue a claim in the past.
In the year ending March 2023, 1,300 police officers and staff across the 43 UK police forces were referred to formal misconduct proceedings as a result of cases such as police complaints, conduct matters and recordable conduct matters.
Also, during this time, 51,605 police complaints involving 42,854 identifiable police officers were finalised, involving 120,243 allegations.
The amount of compensation is also growing
Public Interest Lawyers also obtained figures on the amount of money police forces in the UK have paid out to successful claims since 2019.
Over the past five years, forces have paid out a total of £79,373,401.07, with the highest amount coming in 2023/24 standing at £18,201,878.46.
Compensation claims made against UK police forces since 2019 can include both public claims and those brought internally by police officers and staff.
The most common reason for claims is property damage, with motor-based claims such as car crashes also ranking high.
More alarmingly, claims for unlawful arrests, wrongful imprisonments, and forced entries into properties have been submitted more and more against police forces over the years.
Based on figures gathered from police forces across the country, the forces with the highest claim costs since 2019 have been revealed.
The Met Police had the highest claim costs at nearly £42m, while Police Service Northern Ireland and West Yorkshire Police also had costs of over £4m.
The rise in police compensation: endemic of other issues
Speaking to Public Interest Lawyers, JF Law solicitor Lucy Parker said:
The number of claims made against police forces in the UK shines a light on a crucial issue and highlights the importance of holding institutions accountable.
Potential reasons to claim may include wrongful arrest, assault, malicious prosecution, or negligence however, it’s crucial to remember that each case is unique.
Reasons such as property damage and forced entry by police, without lawful justification, are serious matters and can constitute a significant breach of an individual’s rights.
If you believe the police have wronged you, it’s essential to seek legal advice promptly to understand your options and potential outcomes.
Public Interest Lawyers offers support to people who believe the police have mistreated them and free advice on whether they can claim compensation.
They operate a 24-hour helpline and claim online form, which you can access on their website.
Police in Warwickshire, Thames Valley, Wiltshire, Surrey, Humberside, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Durham and Cumbria did not respond to Public Interest Lawyers’ Freedom of Information request.
Featured image via the Canary
