Shropshire Star

West Mercia Police compensation bill reaches £18,900

More than £18,000 in compensation has been claimed by police officers working for the force covering Shropshire in three years.

Published

Injuries during training and defective tools or equipment contributed to a bill of £18,900 since 2014.

Data released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed West Mercia Police paid out £14,700 in 2014 and has had bills totalling £4,200 in 2016 to date.

No compensation was claimed by serving officers in 2015.

Compensation is paid out of police budgets and the force said it would make sure regular risk assessments were in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.

West Mercia Police also vowed to ensure lessons were learnt to stop possible future claims.

A force spokeswoman said: "Members of our workforce face dangerous situations on a daily basis while on duty, protecting people from harm.

"We take our workforce's health and safety extremely seriously and are responsible for all members of our workforce whilst on duty.

"If at any point we fall short of meeting that responsibility, members of our workforce are protected under the Employers Liability Insurance.

"Any compensation payouts made will follow a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident to ascertain whether West Mercia Police has been negligent in any way.

"Appropriate medical evidence is then sought through the insurers and their appointed solicitors, who then make a recommendation to us as to what payment is appropriate."

The Taxpayers' Alliance believes police forces must adopt the highest standards set out in law to minimise the risk of compensation claims hitting budgets.

The organisation has also called for spurious compensation claims to be cracked down on to further protect front line spending.

Chief executive John O'Connell said: "Sometimes accidents are going to happen and in those cases it will be entirely appropriate for payments to be made.

"But at the same time it is important to root out anyone who is playing the system with spurious demands for taxpayers' cash as every penny paid out in compensation is a penny taken away from front line budgets.

"Police bosses must ensure they live up to the highest legal standards required by law as the most serious accidents can ruin lives."

The Tax Payer's Alliance mission is to change the perception that big government is necessary and irreversible, explain the benefits of a low tax economy and give taxpayers a voice in the corridors of power.

Last year it wrote 28 papers based on more than 4,100 FOI requests.

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