HMICS Inspections

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: HMICS, Corporate Plan 2021-2024, 1 February 2022.

1: The SPA should put in place measures to monitor progress against the areas for development outlined in this review, ensuring regular public reporting to allow assessment of...

1: The SPA should put in place measures to monitor progress against the areas for development outlined in this review, ensuring regular public reporting to allow assessment of...

1: Police Scotland should review compliance with policy relating to the delay of release following a disposal decision being made and ensure that staff adhere to this.

2: Police Scotland should ensure that custody staff have a clear understanding of what response is required for each of the defined observation levels and that these are applied...

1: Police Scotland should develop a wellbeing plan that has appropriate governance, structure and activity, reflecting the People Strategy, and delivered equitably across the...

2: Police Scotland should implement effective actions to understand and address organisational stressors, including those caused by perceived unfairness in application of...

1: Police Scotland should create a secure holding area for detainees at the custody centres.

10: Police Scotland should ensure that chlorine-based cleaning products are available for cleaning in line with national guidance.

1: Police Scotland should improve leadership behaviours across the organisation to ensure that officers and staff work in a culture that is supportive, collaborative and welcomes...

10: Police Scotland should develop its performance framework to encompass the impact of organisational culture, while regularly reporting to the Scottish Police Authority.

1: Police Scotland should ensure that detainee observation facilities at the Dumfries custody centre are moved to an appropriate location within the centre.

10: Dumfries and Galloway HSCP must review the process for storage, dispensing and administration of medicines to support the safety and wellbeing of staff and to ensure patient...

1: Scottish Government should commission a strategic review of the whole system relating to mental health, involving a range of scrutiny bodies.

10: Police Scotland and the SPA should take steps to establish a clear demand picture for policing mental health.

1: The Scottish Government should place into legislation the requirement for all Police Scotland officers and staff to obtain and maintain a minimum standard of vetting clearance and...

10: Police Scotland should introduce an annual integrity review including change of personal circumstances for all vetting clearances.

1: Police Scotland should review and amend booking-in processes and facilities at Dundee custody centre to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process.

2: Police Scotland should ensure that clear lines of accountability are defined and stipulated for custody supervisors in the event of an adverse incident resulting in serious harm...

1: Police Scotland, SPA Forensic Services and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service should work with Scottish Government to collate and produce data to facilitate an assessment...

10: SPA Forensic Services must immediately progress the core operating solution plans and explore opportunities to interface with Police Scotland and Crown Office and Procurator...

1: Police Scotland should make arrangements to improve the observation room and its facilities within the police custody centre at Motherwell.

10: NHS Lanarkshire must ensure that all sharps bins have fully completed labels to ensure safe waste management.

1: While prosecution policy remains a matter for the Lord Advocate, the Scottish Government should lead a working group comprising the diversion partner agencies to coordinate...

10: Police Scotland should ensure that adequate supervision and quality assurance processes are in place to improve the quality of SPRs relevant to diversion.

1: The Scottish Government, NHS boards and HSCPs should introduce nationally agreed waiting time standards for the assessment and treatment of individuals detained in police custody...

2: NHS Boards, HSCPs and Police Scotland should collaborate on the development and publication of up-to-date guidance on the delivery of police custody healthcare and agree a revised...

1: Police Scotland should take action to ensure it is meeting its standard of service statutory obligations in offering the gender of interviewing officers to victims of domestic...

10: Police Scotland must, as a priority, introduce a robust system for allocation and monitoring progression of domestic abuse investigation packages at local, regional and national...

1: Police Scotland should demonstrate that the management of Local Policing Appointments ensures the public receives a consistent level of service across Scotland.

2: Police Scotland should broaden the training and support provided to service advisors, by including inputs from specialists, to enable them to better consider investigative...

1: The Scottish Government, SPA and Police Scotland should collectively cease to use 17,234 officers as a target and focus instead on developing a workforce based on the skillset and...

10: The SPA and Police Scotland should put in place measures to monitor progress against the areas for development outlined in this assurance review, ensuring regular reporting at the...

1: Police Scotland should replace the existing paper-based recording system at Kittybrewster with an effective and reliable electronic system that can be updated in real time from...

2: Police Scotland should review the potential risks and benefits of utilising local policing to cover shifts and other custody operations in the North East cluster and build...

1: Police Scotland should develop timely, meaningful equality, diversity and inclusion data and the capability to analyse the data to identify and understand trends, and to inform...

10: Police Scotland should consider improving its understanding of the specific needs of each diversity staff association and reviewing the level of support provided accordingly. 10...

1: Police Scotland should develop a demand framework and delivery plan as soon as possible to include the implementation of a structured engagement model to support the effective...

10: Police Scotland should ensure consistency and compatibility (not requiring mandatory compliance) in revised tasking and co-ordinating processes and the associated use of demand...

1: Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) should put in place measures to monitor progress against the areas for development outlined in this assurance review...

1: Police Scotland should review the profile of hate crime in strategies and plans, given that it is not currently identified as a standalone strategic priority for the force

10: Police Scotland should review its use of the data held on IT systems to build knowledge and understanding of trends in hate crime and the impact on affected communities

1: The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland should ensure that the results of internal and external crime recording audits are publicly reported, including a statement of...

2: Police Scotland should revise its current Crime Recording Strategy to focus on effective implementation and better consider the required level of cultural change required to...

1: Police Scotland should establish a robust performance framework for Leadership, Training and Development, with key performance indicators and quality assured evaluation...

10: Police Scotland should ensure that diversity training is provided and mainstreamed into leadership courses at all levels as a matter of urgency

1: Police Scotland should improve the means by which recorded data can accurately inform assessment of the scale and nature of online child sexual abuse.

10: Police Scotland should ensure that arrangements for deploying undercover online specialist resources are directed by formal tasking arrangements aligned to risk, priority and...