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A police officer claims she was forced from her job after colleagues waged a secret “black op” against her.

Karen Harper, 50, was allegedly bullied over flexible working hours following the death of her mother.

She has alleged Police Scotland ordered a “fishing expedition” to trash her reputation after she complained about a sergeant.

(Image: UGC)

Karen – who was cleared of any wrongdoing – today breaks her silence six months after the end of her unblemished 22-year police career through ill health.

The retired officer criticises politicians and regulators for failing to hold them to account.

Karen said: “These people destroyed my career and stole three years of my life. The biggest issue is the lack of trust.

“Integrity in policing is essential, especially at the very top, but these people are protected. It’s like taking on the Mafia.

“This breeds resentment in the ranks and tarnishes the reputation of the majority of good officers who are working harder than ever before.”

Single mum Karen transferred from Lanarkshire to Dumfries to shorten her daily commute after the death of her mum from cancer in April 2014.

But her request for flexible working hours was met with resistance by bosses.

She added: “My shift colleagues were great but a sergeant made my life hell.

“I eventually complained but he was quickly cleared by a chief inspector.”

Karen – dissatisfied at how her complaint was handled – notified top brass that she was considering legal action.

(Image: Daily Record)

Three days later, two Professional Standards Department (PSD) officers approached her ex-husband Bruce Harper, also a former police officer, to ask if he would make a complaint against her.

Karen, warned by Bruce about the approach, repeatedly asked for information about the probe but was ignored, in breach of police rules.

A year later, in July 2015, she lodged an employment tribunal claim using equality and whistleblowing laws.

She then discovered the scale of the PSD’s “witch-hunt”. The unit’s officers had contacted Karen’s colleagues and visited up to 15 of her neighbours in a bid to find evidence of criminality or misconduct.

An inspector emailed another officer asking: “Can you advise me if you know PC Karen Harper and if you have had any dealings with her either off duty or on? Good or bad?”

Karen’s tribunal claim says she is “living in genuine fear of the police arresting her and/or falsely accusing her of misconduct and crimes due to the ‘fishing expedition’”.

In May 2016 her lawyer submitted allegations of criminality and misconduct against 10 officers involved in the “black op”.

The Crown Office ruled that none of the officers had committed criminality so Karen turned to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) and Scottish Police Authority (SPA).

Both organisations said they could not get involved so Karen’s complaint was sent back to Police Scotland.

For two years she has been left in the dark and her employment tribunal claim frozen while the PSD investigate their own officers.

She said: “My lawyer kept trying to get information from the police but was ignored. She had to ask the tribunal judge, who ordered them to give us an update.

“They claimed the delay was due to an officer suffering bereavement. However, two key witnesses have still never been contacted.”

Karen believes the police complaints system fuels a culture of dishonesty, secrecy and unaccountability.

(Image: SWNS.com)

She said: “I thought there were checks and balances, that the SPA and PIRC would be as appalled as me, but all these people effectively slammed the door in my face.

“It’s like they are a firewall around Police Scotland and certain people are protected. These regulatory bodies are not holding the police to account.

“From what I’ve experienced, there’s no interest in getting the truth. They’re more interested in finding a loophole to protect these people.”

She is also critical of new SPA chairwoman Susan Deacon, who was hired after a series of scandals rocked the organisation. They include alleged financial wrongdoing, secrecy and political meddling.

Karen claims she wrote a sensitive private email to Deacon but received a reply from an SPA lawyer.

She said: “My email was for her eyes only. The lawyer apologised and gave me her address so I sent another email but that prompted a reply from another official saying that Deacon was satisfied with how it had been dealt with.

Karen added: “The buck stops with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Justice Secretary Michael Matheson. I’ve lost faith in the entire system.

(Image: collect)

“Because of the failure of the SPA, I’ve had to rely on the police investigating themselves and, two years down the line, I’m still waiting.”

Karen and her lawyer Margaret Gribbon have written to the Scottish Parliament’s justice committee, which last month launched a major review of Police Scotland five years after their creation.

She added: “The acting Chief Constable Iain Livingstone told the committee in September that they treat whistleblowers properly but that’s totally different to what I experienced.

“I believe the police are telling the committee any old rubbish because they are completely protected and they know there won’t be any repercussions.

“My case shows how complaint handling has not been fit for purpose.”

Police Scotland said: “The matter is the subject of an ongoing complaint investigation.”

PIRC said: “Our review team do not have a statutory remit to carry out a complaint handling review of how Police Scotland have handled complaints relating to a police officer’s terms of conditions and service.

“Our investigation team can investigate misconduct issues involving senior officers if the matter is referred to the PIRC from the SPA. Misconduct issues for lower ranks are dealt with by Police Scotland.”

The SPA said: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment on individual complaint and conduct matters.”