Officers sue police force over injuries

NEARLY 20 police officers and support staff have sued Lothian and Borders Police over compensation for injuries received on duty, including being bitten by a police dog.

A total of seven police officers and special constables have taken action against the force in the last three years after being injured or hurt while working.

Another 12 members of the police support staff also lodged legal claims against their bosses during the same period.

Out of these 19 cases, six have so far been settled, with payouts totalling £11,600 made to the injured parties.

The other 13 cases have yet to be dealt with.

The injuries included being bitten by a police dog, suffering an injury while training, falling victim to an accident in the workplace, and accidents involving “defective furniture”.

On Thursday, it was revealed that the number of police officers injured while on duty has soared by nearly 20 per cent in the last year.

A total of 572 officers suffered injuries, including fractures, dislocations and concussions between April 2011 and March last year.