Continuous Integrity Screening

Public confidence is critical to effective policing and legitimacy, and it is right that police officers and staff are held to high standards. The onus is on us to maintain and build our bond of trust with the public we serve

Police Scotland has been driving improvements in how we safeguard our values and standards.  As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining the organisation’s values, code of ethics, and standards of professional behaviour, we will introduce a programme of Continuous Integrity Screening.

The programme will include additional checks announced last month in the wake of the conviction of a Metropolitan Police Service officer for a number of serious sexual offences and other crimes.  These checks against the Police National Database (PND) were announced by the National Police Chiefs’ Council for all police services in England and Wales.  Police Scotland is committed to carrying out these checks and has also introduced a Continuous Integrity Screening Programme.  Not only will all officers and staff be checked against the PND, but in addition, they will be checked against the Scottish Intelligence Database (SID) and Police National Computer (PNC).

This work has commenced and the initial screening is due to be concluded by 31 March 2023.  Police Scotland will also commence a rolling programme to review vetting decisions and will also continue the re-affirmation vetting for all new recruits.  Any issues which emerge from continuous integrity screening will be considered on a case by case basis.

Further details on this important work will be outlined later in today’s meeting.