Chair of police watchdog claims expenses for attending Clutha funerals

Vic Emery, the Scottish Police Authority’s chair (pictured), made the claims for expenses to attend the funerals of pilot David Traill, of Police Scotland’s air support unit and constables Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis who were killed when their Eurocopter EC 135 crashed into the Clutha bar in Glasgow in November 2013. Seven people inside the pub were also killed.

Mr Emery said he was donating the money to the Clutha Trust.

The SPA provided that it as well as senior police officers attended these events as a matter of priority but that they were remunerated at the day rate for the duties and travel expenses incurred.

Mr Emery said: “I felt it important to ensure that the SPA was represented at each of these occasions, and we all judged that these were professional responsibilities as well as personal commitments.

“We will clearly reflect on these examples in considering our future commitments and will seek further clarity from the Scottish Government on what constitutes corporate and personal activities.”

Brian Docherty, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “This news will stun police officers all over Scotland. The notion that profit was even a consideration suggests poor judgement and leaves an exceptionally bad taste in the mouth.”

He added: “Hundreds of police officers willingly give up their own time to attend the funerals and memorials for the Clutha victims and did so simply because it was the right thing to do.”

A spokeswoman for the SPA said: “Senior police officers made attending these events a priority for their professional time. The SPA also shared that approach.

“The key difference is that SPA members are non-executives and are remunerated at a day rate for the duties they take on, plus travel expenses incurred.”