Policing Together and working with communities

Independent Review Group - closure report
Police Scotland’s Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights Strategic Oversight Board (EDIHR SOB) – now Policing Together Strategic Oversight Board - was established in March 2021 to accelerate and embed progress towards mainstreaming equality, diversity and inclusion.
An Independent Review Group, chaired by Robin Iffla, was commissioned in response to recommendation 18 of Lady Elish Angiolini’s Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigation and Misconduct Issues in relation to policing and was permitted access to all materials, documents, and data presented to Police Scotland’s Policing Together Strategic Oversight Board. Additionally, the IRG had autonomy to request further information and consultation with officers and staff as necessary to fully understand, scrutinise and provide feedback on Police Scotland’s EDI activity.
Our Policing Together strategy was published in September 2022. Policing Together co-ordinates and drives service wide action across four strategic pillars - leadership; training; professionalism and prevention; and communications. In May, I outlined progress across the pillars, including the Your Leadership Matters leadership course; a deep dive on each of the 10 standards of professional behaviour demanded of officers by law; improved EDI education and plans for further courses and support from co-ordinated communications.
In June, Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton took leadership of the Policing Together Division, which now includes officers and staff from the former Preventions, Partnerships and Community Wellbeing Division.
Policing with partners and communities to develop the understanding, relationships, early interventions and diversions that can prevent crime and harm and contribute to community wellbeing are key to improved service delivery. This can support policing to add additional external focus to the ambitions of the Policing Together programme.
I'm hugely grateful for the rigour of the IRG's work and for the constructive approach they have taken in providing practical steps that can continue this important work to which I, and all of Police Scotland, remain committed.