Operational Safety Training

The organisational deadline for OST recertification is 28th February 2025. Beyond this date, any eligible individual who fails to recertify will have their authority to deploy in an operational capacity withdrawn. As of 30th January, 95.28% of eligible officers/staff (up to and including Inspectors, less those on long term sick, protected or light duties) are within a 12-month certification window for OST.

This is a positive and reassuring improvement on previous reporting and represents a return to compliance levels seen pre the training suspension in late 2023/early 2024.

With the Training Compliance dashboard being made available to Resource Deployment Units, this will allow more effective planning and allocation of training spaces. OST Recertification Courses have been scheduled for the remainder of 2025, with work commencing on the 2026 diary to further increase the opportunity to populate courses.

The OST Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Test of Change (monthly OST sessions) being hosted in Inverclyde is due to conclude at the end of March 2025. Interim analysis has found a reduction in injuries through assault in Inverclyde of 19% over the initial 6 months of the pilot. Following the test period, the Analysis and Performance Unit will undertake a full analysis and report findings to the Use of Force Monitoring Group.

An equivalent Custody Operations OST CPD package remains in development, with the intention that this will be launched over the coming months within Kittybrewster, Aberdeen for CJPCSOs and officers based in this environment.