Overview

We move into 2024 with greater clarity about the funding available to keep the people and communities of Scotland safe.
An overall improvement on flat cash for 2024-25, when not all asks could be met and some budgets are being cut, is important recognition of Police Scotland's value and the contribution policing makes to Scotland being a safe place to live and work.
A revenue uplift of £74.5m allows us to restart and maximise officer recruitment with 200 recruits due to begin their initial training next month and further intakes planned throughout the year.
Our allocation allows us to fund the cost of this year's agreed 7% pay award for officers and staff and make a credible pay offer in 2024-25.
A pension rebate in the region of £17m next year will support us to progress a programme of voluntary retirement and voluntary redundancy.
Our capital allocation was enhanced by £13m - a welcome improvement, although our capital allocation has been a challenge over a number of years and remains low compared to other police services in the UK.
We welcome the settlement but recognise that policing must evolve to live within projected funding and with an operating model that's fit for the challenges of today, and those coming down the line.
We are already setting out some of those necessary, at times difficult, changes - including consulting on proposals to close police buildings and programmes of voluntary early retirement and voluntary redundancy.
Some of our evolution will be in our structures and working practices, but everything we do will be about prioritising the frontline and tackling areas of high harm.
We are putting in place a three-year programme of work to design and implement a new operating model so that we can prioritise operational policing, remove back-office duplication, and create capacity to deal with new and increasing threats.
We are also playing our part in wider criminal justice reform and this must be prioritised across the system. I have been meeting with key partners and I believe there is a shared recognition that innovation and improvement must be prioritised and accelerated to support better and quicker court outcomes for victims and to provide efficiency and value for the public.
The overtime cost of officers being cited for court – with very few of them being called to give evidence – is £3m. This not a sustainable position financially, or operationally. We must reduce cancelled rest days and leave so that we can improve the wellbeing of our officers and increase the time they can spend in communities.
The Summary Case Management pilot which expanded to Glasgow at the end of January is an example where through closer collaboration and planning we can achieve better outcomes for victims and reduce inefficiencies in the system, including unnecessary days lost at court for police witnesses.
We continue to work through considerations around the cross-system Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) - a crucial capability to share evidence captured, for example by officers through Body Worn Video, to help prosecutors and courts make quicker decisions about proceedings and secure swifter resolutions.
One of my first commitments to my fellow officers and staff when I joined Police Scotland was that we had to push-on with the roll-out of Body Worn Video. We are moving at pace and I expect roll-out of body worn video to frontline officers and staff to begin in the late summer.
Another clear challenge is that policing must reset the parameters of our role in responding to people living with poor mental health. Each year, officers deploy to well over 100,000 mental health related incidents - the equivalent work of between 500 and 600 full time officers. In over 87% of these incidents, no crime has taken place.
Resetting those parameters will help ensure the most appropriate help is provided and allow officers to return to preventing crime and responding to threat, harm and risk as soon as possible after the moment of crisis has passed and public safety is assured.
I need to give courage to frontline sergeants and inspectors that they are able to say to officers, we need to come away from that incident now, we have taken that individual to Accident and Emergency and they are waiting to be seen or we have taken them to see a health care professional.
Police Scotland must focus intensely on our core duties and what matters to the people we serve. If what we do doesn't protect the vulnerable from harm, prevent crime or support our officers and staff, we will challenge that and redirect resources to prioritise the front line.
As Chief Constable, my operational focus is in three areas - first, addressing threat, harm, and risk; second, prevention, problem solving and proactivity; and third, looking after the wellbeing of officers and staff so they can deliver for the public.
With the Authority's support and challenge, I want to shine a light on that work whether it's investigating the more serious offences and securing important court outcomes; seizing illegal drugs; road traffic enforcement or picking out the unsung proactive community policing and prevention we know the public values.
Since the last Board meeting, important police work by officers and staff has been prominently underlined by the life sentences handed down to three people responsible for the murder of Caroline Glachan in 1996.
The death of Ann Coll in Rutherglen in December, 2023, and of Keith Rollinson following an assault in Elgin earlier this month were tragic deaths. An arrest has been made in relation to both deaths and my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of Ann and Keith and everyone who has been affected.
During the first weeks of 2024, in action right across Scotland, officers seized cannabis plants worth a combined total of over £10 million, sending a clear message to criminals that we will relentlessly pursue those who cause harm in our communities.
I want to recognise a few examples of the day-to-day policing highlighted during Neighbourhood Policing Week last month. Officers in Tayside met with children at a primary school in Arbroath to build relationships and talk about respect. In Edinburgh, officers ensured road safety at drop off zones outside another school. We've been patrolling the River Clyde to tackle anti-social behaviour and responding to reports of bogus workmen in Kilmarnock with high-visibility presence.
We listen carefully to what matters to communities and take action at a local level to address concerns. This daily policing may not catch headlines, but it's invaluable and highly valued by the public.
We will draw focus and celebrate the bravery and excellence of officers and staff and members of the public on Friday, 23 February, during my Bravery and Excellence Awards hosted at our headquarters, Tulliallan.
At the same time, it is vital we continue to build on the cultural progress which has been made in recent years through investment in leadership and a focus on our values and standards driven through our Policing Together Programme.
Our safeguarding of values and standards has never been stronger. Our participation in the NPCC’s Historic Data Wash exercise for all officers, staff and volunteers, along with the additional checks we carried out in Scotland reflects that the integrity of the organisation remains strong.
Similarly, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner's Annual Report, published in December and presented to the Authority this week, illustrates continued improvement in our handling of complaints from the public with 74% of complaints found to be reasonably handled by the police, the highest since the establishment of the single police service.
Lastly, I have directed that we approach change differently - and have asked Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors to lead key experts from different functions across the Service to deliver effective change at speed.
Ensuring Scotland continues to be a safe place to live and work is my commitment and priority as Chief Constable.