Police use of force on children

Date: 28th September 2026
Category: Violence against children

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The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland recently released a report, outlining findings from Commissioner Nicola Killean’s investigation into how often the police used force against children.

The Commissioner found that children in Scotland have been subjected to police use of force — including tasers, incapacitating spray, spit hoods, bite guards, strip searches, and other “empty hand techniques” such as punches and kicks — without proper monitoring and recording. She also found crucial gaps in the available data, such as information concerning disability and age, amongst other oversights. This means that Police Scotland cannot be properly scrutinised and held accountable.

In her report, the Commissioner made 21 recommendations for Police Scotland, SPA, Police Investigation and Review Commissioner (PIRC), and the Scottish Government. These include calls for an immediate end to the use of tasers and incapacitating sprays on children in custody settings; more robust data collection, reporting, and recording; and, to this end, further cooperation between Police Scotland and Scottish Government.

·     Read more about the investigation and find the full report here