The usual suspects? Profiling who was policed during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland

• In Event: POL Panel 20. Police bias

Abstract

In March 2020, as Covid-19 swept across the world, UK police forces were given powers to enforce public health regulations in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease and save lives. Multiple studies have now examined the role of policing during the pandemic, from the perspective of police legitimacy, officer wellbeing and the politics of policing. However, few studies have looked at the profile of who was subject to police enforcement and whether this simply reflected existing stereotypes of ‘the usual suspects’. In Scotland, over 20,000 Fixed Penalty Notices (or fines) were issued in relation to regulatory non-compliance between March 2020 and May 2021. This presentation will consider the profile of who was fined and match it against other known ‘offender’ profiles. Using innovative data linkage, we will also examine the underlying health and vulnerability of those who were fined, and whether they posed a greater risk of spreading the disease than others who are typically subject to policing. And we will draw on police officer interviews to discuss how the profile of offenders shifted from the ‘usual’ to the ‘unusual’ suspects as the pandemic wore on. We will conclude by discussing the consequences of Covid-19 for policing in the context of public health emergencies and its impact on regulatory fairness and legitimacy.

Author

• Susan McVie, University of Edinburgh