HMICS Inspections

1: Custody operating model and workforce resilience Police Scotland should, as a matter of priority, develop and implement a revised custody operating model that is aligned to...

2: Governance, oversight and delivery of improvement Police Scotland should strengthen governance, audit and assurance arrangements to ensure consistent and effective oversight and...

1: Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, Chapter 11.

10: Professional standards Such functions are important in

1: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has committed to undertaking a statutory audit of Police Scotland’s crime recording arrangements as part of its HMICS Scrutiny...

10: © Crown copyright 2026 Produced and Published by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland www.hmics.scot 11

1: Police Scotland should maintain its robust focus on planning arrangements for the Commonwealth Games 2026, while working closely with key partners. By addressing the following...

1: Police Scotland should review and enhance the content and delivery of training of its Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Behaviour for all those joining...

10: Police Scotland should ensure that all police staff discipline investigations and meetings are conducted by those who are appropriately trained and independent of the enquiry.

1: Police Scotland should examine concerns raised resulting from the configuration of the holding room and introduce appropriate risk management arrangements to mitigate risks...

10: NHS Lothian should ensure that compliance aids are labelled in accordance with legal requirements, including correct administration guidance and appropriate warnings.

1: Introduction In March 2025, we published our second three-year Scrutiny Plan. The plan was developed following consultation with the public, key stakeholders and partner...

18: month programme of work, structured across assessment, assurance and improvement phases, reflecting the scale and complexity of this national activity. National review of...

1: COPFS and Police Scotland should: (a) review the targets in the ‘Protocol for witness citation targets’ to take account of the business rules on automatic citing and removal of...

10: COPFS should develop training on the citation of witnesses for administrative staff, to ensure consistency of practice. All relevant staff should undertake this training as soon...

1: COPFS and Police Scotland should: (a) review the targets in the ‘Protocol for witness citation targets’ to take account of the business rules on automatic citing and removal of...

10: COPFS should develop training on the citation of witnesses for administrative staff, to ensure consistency of practice. All relevant staff should undertake this training as soon...

1: Strategic direction 2026 provides a timely opportunity to realign the strategic planning landscape and clarify priorities. Policing should: • In the next 12 months clearly set out...

2: Performance management and reporting

1: Police Scotland should publish a clear policy on drug harm reduction, ensuring it is accessible to officers, staff and partner agencies to support a consistent and co-ordinated...

2: Police Scotland should take a more active role in identifying and sharing learning and good practice to promote consistency across divisions, and update intranet pages to ensure...

1: Police Scotland should publish a clear policy on drug harm reduction, ensuring it is accessible to officers, staff and partner agencies to support a consistent and co-ordinated...

2: Police Scotland should take a more active role in identifying and sharing learning and good practice to promote consistency across divisions, and update intranet pages to ensure...

1: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has committed to an

10: The intended objectives of this review and its publication are to assess: ■ the governance structure and arrangements for the games ■ planning arrangements and preparedness for...

1: Police Scotland should improve CCTV viewing equipment and conditions for officers at Lerwick and Stornoway custody centres to ensure the location, number, and quality of screens...

10: NHS Highland and Police Scotland should ensure that custody staff involved in the checking of controlled drugs have had appropriate training.

1: Police Scotland should improve CCTV viewing equipment and conditions for officers at Lerwick and Stornoway custody centres to ensure the location, number, and quality of screens...

10: NHS Highland and Police Scotland should ensure that custody staff involved in the checking of controlled drugs have had appropriate training.

1: Police Scotland should improve the effectiveness of the clothing and equipment working group as a decision making body.

2: Police Scotland should improve its engagement with frontline officers and staff about their uniform and equipment requirements and ensure their opinions are represented at the...

1: Police Scotland should improve the effectiveness of the clothing and equipment working group as a decision making body.

2: Police Scotland should improve its engagement with frontline officers and staff about their uniform and equipment requirements and ensure their opinions are represented at the...

0: Speeding Seat belt offences Mobile phone offences

1: Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, Chapter 11.

0: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) is established under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 and has wide...

1: Argyll and Bute HSCP should establish a monitoring framework to ensure that patients' needs are met, and to collect data on patient outcomes in police custody.

1: NHS Lothian must review the prescribing processes in Falkirk police custody centre and strengthen the governance of medication prescribing.

11: Custody centres in Scotland are organised into clusters, each led by a Cluster Inspector. The Forth Valley division, encompassing the local authority areas of Falkirk, Stirling...

1: NHS Lothian must review the prescribing processes in Falkirk police custody centre and strengthen the governance of medication prescribing.

2: NHS Lothian should ensure all staff receive appropriate training and guidance to support the use of compliance aids.

1: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has committed to a statutory inspection of the police response to drug harm reduction as part of its scrutiny plan for 2022-25.

10: During interviews and discussions with police and key stakeholders as part of the scoping phase of this inspection, it was highlighted that drug harm reduction is often seen as...

1: In the sheriff court, summary proceedings take place before a sheriff only. For more serious cases, solemn proceedings take place before a sheriff and a jury.

10: ‘Churn’ refers to cases repeating stages unnecessarily.

1: Foreword I am delighted to present the HMICS corporate plan for the period 2025-28. As the Chief Inspector of Constabulary since April 2022, I have sought to apply the same ethos...

11: Strategic reviews We conduct these reviews in key areas where we believe that giving a strategic overview will add value. Such reviews give a high-level assessment of services, in...

0: HMICS Custody inspection framework His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has a statutory role to look into the state, efficiency and effectiveness of both...

1: The arrival of detainees in custody is safely managed. ■ Detainees are taken to the custody centre at the earliest opportunity. ■ Consideration is given to diverting vulnerable...

0: Improving Policing Across Scotland In 2014, HMICS published its first inspection framework. This version is our third iteration of that framework, reflecting our regular review...

1: Various attempts have been made to articulate guiding principles for inspection. For example, the Crerar Review (September 2007) stated that the five principles for external...

1: Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, CHAPTER 11, Section 76

10: This focuses on the overall performance of the organisation or service in relation to its purpose, vision, strategy and perceptions of the organisation by stakeholders (both...

1: Police Scotland should examine the staffing levels at the custody centres in Glasgow and make arrangements to ensure that appropriate staff resource is in place to maintain safe...

2: Police Scotland should ensure that an appropriate level of management presence is maintained at custody centres in order to improve the quality and consistency of operational...

1: Police Scotland should examine the staffing levels at the custody centres in Glasgow and make arrangements to ensure that appropriate staff resource is in place to maintain safe...

10: During our inspection, we reviewed the ICVS service book that is completed following each visit by the custody visitors. This reflected a pattern of recent and regular visits with...

1: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has committed to conduct a number of short, frontline focused reviews throughout the period of the HMICS Scrutiny Plan...

10: Police vehicles and the equipment contained within them, including access to drink/drug driving equipment, will not be considered during this review. These issues were considered...

1: HMICS has committed to a thematic inspection of Operational Support Division (OSD) during the period of our Scrutiny Plan 2022-2025. OSD is a national division within Police...

10: Our inspection sought to establish how effectively Police Scotland is contributing to the STRA and to the road safety framework, as well as to local policing plans across Scotland.

1: Police Scotland should review its commitment to and investment in its road policing function, to ensure it is effectively supporting Scotland’s Road Safety Framework and that road...

10: Police Scotland should progress the facility for members of the public to report road traffic offences by directly uploading journey-cam footage.

1: Police Scotland should ensure that the maintenance and repair of crucial custody infrastructure is addressed swiftly to maintain operational capability as well as safety and...

10: Argyll and Bute HSCP should comply with Health Protection Scotland’s NIPCM standard infection control precautions to ensure patient and healthcare staff safety.

1: Police Scotland should ensure that the maintenance and repair of crucial custody infrastructure is addressed swiftly to maintain operational capability as well as safety and...

10: Argyll and Bute HSCP should comply with Health Protection Scotland’s NIPCM standard infection control precautions to ensure patient and healthcare staff safety.

1: Police Scotland should promote the national missing person framework’s aims, objectives and commitments to officers and staff across divisions, and emphasise that this underpins...

10: Police Scotland should work with partners to ensure that clear and co-ordinated arrangements are in place to conduct return discussions across divisions. These should align...

1: Police Scotland should promote the national missing person framework’s aims, objectives and commitments to officers and staff across divisions, and emphasise that this underpins...

10: Police Scotland should work with partners to ensure that clear and co-ordinated arrangements are in place to conduct return discussions across divisions. These should align...

1: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) has committed to an assurance review of conduct as part of its Scrutiny Plan for 2022-25.3

10: ■ Conduct a review of police staff discipline reports and investigations to consider the assessment, recording and management of allegations of wrongdoing. The consistency of the...