Policing Performance Committee

The formal minute of the items of business will be available at the meeting scheduled for 10 June 2025. This will also be published on the Authority’s website. A full recording of the items of business taken at this meeting can be accessed at Policing Performance Committee - 19 March 2025.

Main items of business
• Policing Performance Reporting & Operational Matters
• Partnership & Community Focus
• Oversight of Improvement in Policing

Policing Performance Reporting

• Members received an update in respect of the on-going wide-ranging review in relation to policy and practice to recording Sex and Gender within Police Scotland which confirmed the proactive approach being taken to external engagement.
• The Q3 Policing Performance Report was discussed at length. Areas of focus for Committee oversight and scrutiny included sexual crime, antisocial behaviour, public confidence, crime detection rates, retail crime, road fatalities, and stop and search. The Committee requested detail is provided regarding the upward trend in the use of Recorded Police Warnings in respect of antisocial behaviour.
• The Committee considered an evaluation of the Proportionate response to Crime national roll out. Members were interested in how Police Scotland are capturing the benefits of the approach in terms of officer time and capacity and heard it was difficult to directly map the impact of the additional hours of capacity. Members requested a further evaluation in 12 months’ time that covers front line policing and service delivery and user satisfaction.
• Members received the annual report on PREVENT and took assurance that Police Scotland were proactively reviewing repeat referrals, which was recommended as part of a PREVENT learning review in February 2025. Members also received assurance that Police Scotland are working more broadly on prevention work and highlighted the work of the VRU unit in working with young people, maximising the benefits of campus officers and working with the third sector to tackle challenges. Police Scotland gave assurance that they are confident that they are well placed to influence and adhere to any changes from reviewing the approach to PREVENT.
• The Committee considered an update on Police Scotland’s Policing in a Digital World programme and recognised some of the achievements that have been made by this programme in tackling sextortion and using new approaches when tackling cyber-enabled crime.
• Members reviewed the deep dive analysis of rape and sexual crime, particularly the focus on working with COPFS and others to ensure a justice system response focused on achieving positive outcomes for victims and their families. Members were encouraged by the detail provided on understanding all data, ensuring that linkages are made and insights drawn which can be used for improvement focused activity. Members sought and received assurance on issues recently reported in the media around women’s feelings of safety and experience of antisocial behaviour particularly related to the nighttime economy as well as instances of sexual violence in healthcare settings. Members were also provided with assurance around the range and diversity of partners involved in the Police Scotland work around Violence Against Women and Girls.
• Members concluded that the deep dive analysis model adds value and additional insights to the performance detail provided in the quarterly performance report.

Partnership & Community Focus
• The Committee were provided with an overview of the most recent Authority commissioned polling undertaken in January 2025 and welcomed the input from Police Scotland colleagues on the operational value of this work from a policing improvement perspective. Members discussed the insights detailed in the report and asked that further collaborative work is undertaken between Authority staff, Police Scotland and COSLA in relation to awareness and understanding of local police planning across communities.
• Members noted the continued and increasing positive engagement and collaboration between COSLA, Police Scotland and the Authority highlighted in the COSLA update report and noted their thanks to COSLA for the ongoing commitment to collaboration.

Oversight of Improvement in Policing
• Members received an overview of progress in terms of improved service delivery against a range of improvement plans developed to address HMICS recommendations. The Committee sought and received assurance from Police Scotland around the prioritisation process for the recommendations and alignment of this work to delivery of the Annual Police Plan and 3-year business plan supporting the Police Scotland vision.
• The Committee heard a verbal update from the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland on tackling serious and organised crime. The update gave assurance that the NCA and Police Scotland are working in partnership to tackle high harm crime and undertake major disruptions. The Committee heard that the two organisations, working in partnerships have undertaken a number of significant drug recoveries.
Conclusions Reached

The Committee requested detail is provided regarding the upward trend in the use of Recorded Police Warnings in relation to antisocial behaviour.
The Committee were assured that Police Scotland were proactively reviewing repeat PREVENT referrals.
Members requested a Proportionate Response to Crime evaluation report at the March 2026 PPC that covers front line policing, service delivery and user satisfaction.

Police Scotland to provide data to PPC Members around instances of sexual crime in hospital and care settings.

The Committee were assured of the range and diversity of partners involved in Police Scotland’s Violence Against Women and Girls work. However, Members sought reassurance regarding the breadth of partners involved in the Victim Task Force.

Members requested that further collaborative work is undertaken between Authority staff, Police Scotland and COSLA in relation to informing communities about local police planning.