Officers suspended in selfie Storm get £50k payout

POLICE Scotland has been ordered to pay £50,000 to two firearms officers who were suspended by bosses after taking a selfie with a Scots social media influencer.

- By Richard Elias

The payout came after an employment tribunal ruled that the decision had been a “knee-jerk reaction” from force chiefs.

The incident arose after PC Steven Jones and PC Greg Tunnock posed for a selfie with Tallia Storm while on duty in Edinburgh.

While it provoked both positive and negative comments online, Police Scotland bosses were furious and labelled the officers’ actions “sexist”.

Senior figures in the force believed the photo “could be perceived as sexist by having taken a picture with a female celebrity”.

In particular, it was later claimed that one senior figure, the then Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Gary Ritchie, allegedly pushed to “make an example” of the pair.

The force’s Professional Standards Department later branded the actions “discreditable conduct” and ordered improvement action against them.