Lincolnshire Police paid out nearly £600k in damages over five-year period
A police force has paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages over a five year period.
Lincolnshire Police has had 440 complaints lodged against it since 2019, figures from a Freedom of Information request by Public Interest Lawyers have revealed.
Claims can be put in against a police force if someone feels they have been mistreated or if they feel the police abused their position. Examples include malicious prosecution, wrongful arrest, sexual misconduct, assault, crashes and property damage.
In 2019 to 2020, 58 complaints were lodged against Lincolnshire Police, with 28 of these being settled, which was the second-lowest number of claims over the past five years.
A year later, this number decreased to 44 claims with 19 of these settled.
But over the past year, the service has experienced a rise in claims, with the total standing at 104.
A total of £594,547.80 has been paid out by the force since 2019 with the highest amount coming in 2021/22 standing at £219,948.08.
The top five claim reasons against Lincolnshire Police are crashes, lost property, forced entry, unlawful arrest and false imprisonment.
Compensation claims made against UK police forces since 2019 can include both public claims and those brought internally by police officers and staff.
Leicestershire Police, which covers the county of Rutland, has paid more than £1.8 million in damages since 2019.
The force had 879 complaints lodged against it during the five-year time period with the most common reasons being for damaged or lost property and crashes. More than 300 complaints were resolved.
JF Law solicitor Lucy Parker said: "The number of claims made against police forces in the UK shines a light on a crucial issue and highlights the importance of holding institutions accountable.
“Potential reasons to claim may include wrongful arrest, assault, malicious prosecution, or negligence however, it's crucial to remember that each case is unique.
“Reasons such as property damage and forced entry by police, without lawful justification, are serious matters and can constitute a significant breach of an individual's rights.”
Lincolnshire Police declined to comment on the findings.