POLICE resignations to avoid discipline will be a thing of the past under proposed new laws.

The Scottish government’s new Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) Bill aims to restore public confidence in a force rocked by the recent admission by its chief that it is “institutionally racist and discriminatory.”

Officers facing allegations would be placed on an advisory list to ensure they cannot resign to avoid being held to account

Figures obtained by the BBC earlier this year had revealed that 47 Police Scotland officers had resigned or retired while under investigation since 2019, despite concerns being raised years earlier by lawyer Aamer Anwar.

He said: “In 2015, following the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody, we raised concerns with both the then justice minister and chief constable that police officers must not be able to resign from the police service while there are ongoing investigations into allegations of serious misconduct such as deaths.

“Many of the families I represent would welcome such a move as it’s unacceptable that officers can walk away from due process while maintaining all the financial benefits of doing so — of course in the case of Sheku Bayoh both PCs Alan Paton & Nicole Short were able to retire, although resisted by the the present chief constable.”

Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Scotland is well served by the exceptional dedication and commitment of Scotland’s police officers and the work they do every day to keep communities safe.

“However, if things go wrong, the police must be held to account and improvements made.

“The vital safeguards set out in this legislation will enhance the professional service already delivered by officers, as they perform their privileged duties to keep us all safe.”