Development of the Annual Police Plan

In accordance with statute, the APP describes Police Scotland’s policing arrangements for the year ahead, sets out priorities for policing based on our overall strategic assessment and outlines activity to demonstrate how Police Scotland will meet the needs of the people of Scotland.

The Strategic Planning Framework shows how Police Scotland’s strategies and plans align aligns its strategies and strategic plans with the Joint Strategy for Policing / Strategic Police Plan, and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Police Priorities, National Outcomes and Vision for Justice.

The plan is presented against our jointly agreed strategic outcomes and objectives with activities set at strategic level. To continue to mature the strategic planning approach and support scrutiny, high level milestones and planned reporting periods have been set out along with performance measures and insights.

This APP has again been developed collaboratively, drawing in expertise of colleagues across the service. This has taken the form of workshops, meetings and ongoing testing with colleagues across all areas of operational and specialist policing and corporate support services to inform the key areas of activity set out in the plan.

The plan describes the areas where we must direct our resources to ensure the greatest impact. In doing so it takes account of the most recent Strategic Assessment which describes the areas of greatest threat and risk to public safety and wellbeing and the challenges for policing, demand, research and insights.

It aligns with key delivery of key strategic areas including Policing in a Digital World, Policing Together, C3 and public contact, Public Protection and addressing Violence Against Women and Girls.

Our priorities for policing are summarised as:

Protecting vulnerable people

Policing in a Digital World

Working with communities

Support for operational policing

The APP describes the objectives and activity that will allow the service to focus on its priorities under each of the Strategic Outcomes.

The performance framework is in the process of being refreshed and this will fully align to the strategic outcomes and objectives set out in the Joint Strategy (2023), Policing for a Safe, Protected and Resilient Scotland, and the APP. This will provide the means to monitor and measure progress on our strategic outcomes and priorities for policing through established reporting processes.

The APP was shared in draft with the Scottish Police Authority, in line with the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. The Chair and members of the Authority’s Policing Performance Committee considered the draft and provided feedback which has helped to shape the plan, in addition to feedback from key stakeholders.

In addition around approximately 1,100 respondents contributed to specific questions added to our Your Police engagement, with good support for our priorities in the coming year.

An Equalities and Human Rights Impact Assessment (EqHRIA),

Island and Remote Area Assessment (IsRAA) in line with Islands

(Scotland) Act 2018, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and

Child Rights and Wellbeing Screening Sheet have been completed.

The APP has been fully reviewed in light of the findings from these

assessments with appropriate action taken where required communications.