HMICS Inspections

9: Police Scotland should consider quality accreditation for digital forensics in line with Forensic Science Regulator recommendations, UK Forensic Strategy and wider good practice...

1: The Scottish Police Authority Chief Executive should lead and expedite the implementation of a new Scottish Police Authority corporate structure and ensure an appropriate focus on...

10: The Scottish Police Authority should further develop its self-assessment and performance monitoring approach to include examples and measures of the Scottish Police Authority’s...

1: By 28 February 2020, the College, after consultation with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, should draft new regulations that set out the criteria chief constables in England...

2: By 31 May 2020, the College should provide: • clear information to all potential candidates about the nature of assessments within SPNAC; • access to support and advice which will...

1: An urgent multi-agency review is conducted to establish an appropriate governance, consultation and inspection regime for Scottish venues, used for football and other events....

10: Police Scotland to review its policy and funding for seeking summary football banning orders. Independent Review of Football Policing – Original Report Summary of Findings The...

1: Police Scotland should reconsider how it can better manage custody queue levels and provide radios to large custody centres to improve communication inside the centre and with...

2: Police Scotland should ensure that the content of Prisoner Escort Records is reviewed shortly prior to detainees’ release from police custody so that all relevant information...

1: Police Scotland should clearly articulate and communicate its strategic direction for the future of custody to its staff and partners, as well as how it will be delivered.

10: Police Scotland should ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place for constable-led custody centres. These should include training and support for constables, and the...

1: Police Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service should develop an approach that enhances the information sharing arrangements for offenders who are eligible and...

10: Police Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service should develop a robust, sustainable and auditable approach to the two-way flow of information relative to the...

1: Police Scotland should simplify the resourcing of events across Scotland by creating consistent national processes, structures and roles.

10: Police Scotland should devise an approach to identify resources from divisions based on a holistic assessment of risk and demand on divisions at the material time.

1: Police Scotland should prioritise the advancement of a new performance framework with clearly defined outcomes and associated qualitative and quantitative performance measures.

10: Police Scotland and Greater Glasgow Division should ensure there is a renewed focus regarding the recruitment and retention of special constables.

1: Police Scotland should review its approach to strategic assessment, balancing its use of performance information, intelligence and broader information sources, reflecting all...

10: Police Scotland should move to a three year delivery plan cycle to directly underpin the SPA’s strategic police plan complemented by the publication of an annual control strategy...

1: The Scottish Government should review the legal basis for the current agreement between Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and NHS Scotland to deliver healthcare and...

10: Police Scotland should work with NHS Scotland to ensure suspected perpetrators of sexual abuse who are under 16 years old are not forensically examined within police custody...

1: Police Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service should develop an approach that enhances the information sharing arrangements for offenders who are eligible and...

10: Police Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service should develop a robust, sustainable and auditable approach to the two-way flow of information relative to the...

1: Police Scotland should develop its custody estate strategy as a matter of urgency in order to address variations in provision across the country and better meet demand.

2: Police Scotland should improve its systems to eliminate unnecessarily inconsistent processes and practice in custody.

1: Police Scotland should ensure that the Counter Corruption Unit intelligence processes are reviewed and that information including the source of that information is subject of a...

10: Police Scotland should introduce a process of formal peer review of counter corruption investigations. 38. We found that a formal process of peer review of investigations is...

1: Police Scotland should develop a route map for ICT development and investment in C3 systems as soon as possible in order to secure appropriate medium to long term investment in...

2: Police Scotland should resource the development of a C3 Procedures Manual, securing process analysis skills, and prioritise and support this as part of ongoing continuous...

1: Police Scotland should develop a comprehensive performance framework for firearms licensing that allows the service to be assessed and monitored. Performance should be reported...

10: Police Scotland should include the risk relating to legacy records on the firearms licensing risk register and take the appropriate mitigating action. This should include a...

1: Police Scotland, in partnership with key stakeholders, should develop a strategy and supporting implementation plan for covert policing, which provides for a sustainable model of...

10: Police Scotland should engage with the College of Policing and progress a self-assessment of the authorisation, governance and tactical management arrangements in place for...

1: Police Scotland should ensure that the toilet areas of cells monitored by CCTV are pixelated to preserve detainee privacy. 6 Context 1. Custody is delivered throughout Scotland by...

1: The divisional commander should ensure that Tayside Division has an intelligence requirement aligned to national and local priorities and that this is communicated to, and...

2: The divisional commander should ensure that the role of the community police officer is clearly defined and that community officers understand the expectations upon them and...

1: The Scottish Police Authority and Scottish Government should engage in the implementation of the Home Office Forensic Science Strategy to inform the approach in Scotland, explore...

10: Police Scotland should review the role and capacity of portal gateway managers to improve local liaison around investigative priorities and ensure greater involvement in tasking...

1: The Scottish Police Authority should revert to holding Board and committee meetings in public and Board and committee papers should be made publicly available in advance of...

10: The Scottish Police Authority should review its processes for addressing concerns around a member’s conduct. This should include the authority and processes by which a member may...

1: The Scottish Government should review the legal basis for the current agreement between Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and NHS Scotland to deliver healthcare and...

10: Police Scotland should work with NHS Scotland to ensure suspected perpetrators of sexual abuse who are under 16 years old are not forensically examined within police custody...

1: Police Scotland should explore why 15 and 30-minute observations are not being used in some custody centres and provide further guidance and training to staff where necessary.

2: A detainee’s gender and dignity should be key considerations when allocating a member of staff to carry out constant observations. There should be a presumption, unless a risk...

1: Scottish Government should work with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to consider legislative provision in relation to the retention and use of photographic...

2: Scottish Government should work with Police Scotland, the SPA, COPFS and other interested parties to consider the establishment of an independent Scottish Commissioner to address...

1: Scottish Government in partnership with Responsible Authorities should work together to produce additional guidance on the parameters and minimum practice standards for conducting...

10: Scottish Government in partnership with Responsible Authorities should develop and introduce a structured and standardised process to maximise the learning and development...

1: Scottish Government in partnership with Responsible Authorities should work together to produce additional guidance on the parameters and minimum practice standards for conducting...

10: Scottish Government in partnership with Responsible Authorities should develop and introduce a structured and standardised process to maximise the learning and development...

1: Aberdeen City Division should share the findings from its recently developed missing person tactical assessment with community planning partners in Aberdeen and in particular...

10: Police Scotland should ensure that all divisions develop missing person tactical assessments at local authority level to share with local community planning partners including...