Purpose

This is the first of two interim findings reports which the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights Independent Review Group (IRG), established by Police Scotland in 2021, will issue in 2023 ahead of its final report in early 2024. In this report we set out our emerging reporting framework and provide an indication of our initial findings based on data and evidence gathered to date.

It is important to stress that the work of the IRG is ongoing. These are therefore early findings, based on partial gathering and analysis of the evidence and data we intend to consider. We are also conducting our review in a live implementation and delivery context. Our findings, and crucially our assessment of Police Scotland’s progress in relation to equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights (EDIHR), will therefore evolve over the course of the review.

We are, of course, aware that Police Scotland is on a journey with regard to the development and implementation of EDIHR strategy. Since the establishment of the IRG there have been a number of key developments in that regard:

In 2021, December it approved the creation of a single EDI Action Plan that sought to capture a number of separate diversity action plans across protected characteristics which were mapped to identify areas of commonality, cross over and duplication. An oversight group was established in February 2022 to oversee progress and report to its EDI & HR Strategic Oversight Board on a regular basis.

In September 2022, Police Scotland launched its first EDI strategy, Policing Together, covering the period 2022-2026, complemented by an implementation plan which sets out how the strategy’s 21 commitments will be delivered. A mapping exercise revealed that of the 21 commitments 16 had actions in progress, completed or embedded under the governance of the EDI Action Plan Oversight Group.

The EDI Action Plan has subsequently been subsumed under the Policing Together EDI Strategy Implementation Plan with governance and oversight of the Strategy assigned to the Policing Together Implementation Group (previously the EDI Action Plan Oversight Group), which met for the first time in January 2023.

These developments represent a significant, consolidated commitment to EDI on the part of Police Scotland over the past two years. We have been grateful for the opportunity to contribute to them. Assessing the extent to which the pace and efficacy of delivery matches that commitment is embedded in our review approach and strategic outcomes.

We recognise that it is not a simple process to compare the work that has been done and is being done in Police Scotland with the police organisations in England and Wales, however, we believe that our knowledge and experience gives us the authority to make some statements that highlight the position that Police Scotland is currently at in relation to the governance structure.

The Scottish Police Authority has clearly stated its support and guidance for the work that it expects from the Police Service of Scotland. It has supported, at the request of the Chief Constable, the creation of an executive post to lead the work under the umbrella of Policing Together, which is the primary programme for delivering Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights in Police Scotland.

The Chief Constable has unequivocally stated that he will lead a police service that is anti-racist and anti-discriminatory, with full commitment to implement actions and activities that will involve every member of the organisation that is an inclusive service, which delivers the highest quality service to all communities in Scotland.

We recognise that the Chief Constable was the first Chief Officer in the United Kingdom to state that he will lead an anti-racist police service and we commend this commitment.