Outcome 4: Our people are supported through a positive working environment, enabling them to serve the public

Challenges and opportunities

Our people are key to the success of policing in Scotland. They are drawn to serve from a wide range of backgrounds and bring different life experiences to the organisation.

They are united by Police Scotland’s shared mission to keep people safe and through the core values of integrity, fairness, respect and a commitment to upholding human rights.

The safety and wellbeing of our people is at the heart of Police Scotland’s commitments.

A career in policing is rewarding, but can also be incredibly challenging. It is essential that people are equipped with the skills, knowledge, technology and support they need to police safely and effectively, all within a positive working environment.

Police Scotland has a zero-tolerance approach towards discrimination of any kind and is committed to delivering a supportive and inclusive culture where colleagues feel they belong and can perform at their best.

Today’s challenges

Crime is evolving and scrutiny and pressure on policing are increasing. Assaults on officers have risen

We continue to change as a service and are working on ways to develop our people to realise their full potential

We have a developing organisational culture which reflects legacy force foundations and builds towards collective improvement

Policing in future

Wellbeing matters in an organisation where everyone is safe, well equipped and protected

Our people are confident leaders who feel trusted, supported and valued for their contribution

All our people identify with and demonstrate Police Scotland values and have a strong sense of belonging

To achieve this outcome, Police Scotland will:

Prioritise wellbeing and keep our people safe, well equipped and protected

Support our people to be confident leaders, innovative, active contributors and influencers

Support our people to identify with and demonstrate core values and have a strong sense of belonging

Prioritise wellbeing and keep our people safe, well equipped and protected

The culture within policing has been the subject of widespread media coverage and criticism in recent years after a series of high-profile incidents revealed unacceptable views and conduct.

As Police Scotland progresses work to implement the Policing Together equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, the focus will be on building an organisational culture which generates trust and where all our people feel safe and supported.

Discrimination has no place in policing and every opportunity available will be taken to deliver a robust response where required, ensuring policing is rid of those who demonstrate discriminatory beliefs or have committed acts of violence or other forms of harm.

The safety of our people is paramount, and being assaulted or abused should not be an accepted part of working for the police. Police Scotland will continue to work with justice system partners to ensure assaults on our people are dealt with appropriately. Where incidents occur, Police Scotland will learn from them and ensure that people have the training and equipment they need to deal safely with all incidents they attend.

The emotional wellbeing of our people is as equally important as ensuring their physical safety. Police Scotland wants people to feel supported and empowered to seek help from colleagues and support services no matter the situation. There is a range of support available and Police Scotland will continue to ensure this is easily accessible and available to all in their time of need.

Police Scotland will equip its workforce with the knowledge, skills, technology and other forms of support necessary to police safely and effectively now, whilst also ensuring preparedness for the challenges and opportunities ahead. This includes all our people having ready access to effective, visible, local leadership and a wide range of services to assist them, from individual mental health awareness through to personal finances.


Support our people to be confident leaders, innovative, active contributors and influencers

Our people work in high pressure, dynamic environments where they are often required to demonstrate leadership. Police Scotland must equip them to make decisions, ensuring they are trusted and empowered to do so. Training provision will be expanded to equip the workforce with the knowledge and skills to deliver effective policing in a changing world.

Effective training and leadership development opportunities will be used to communicate expectations and standards of behaviour, supporting the police workforce to develop the knowledge and skill sets needed to challenge discrimination and foster supportive and inclusive working environments throughout the organisation.

This will include regular, and role specific, equality, diversity and inclusion training to ensure our people have the knowledge, skills and confidence to support both their fellow colleagues and the communities they serve.

Police Scotland will provide our people with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver effective policing, and provide opportunities to gain new skills, retrain and diversify throughout their careers. The MyCareer platform will continue to provide our people with opportunities to develop in their current role or to seek further development towards new roles or promotion.

Support our people to identify with and demonstrate core values and have a strong sense of belonging

Police Scotland is committed to building and maintaining a supportive workplace culture where individual contributions and different perspectives are celebrated and valued. Police Scotland will work to ensure our people feel safe to express their full selves at work and implement a comprehensive framework of support to deliver this.

Police Scotland’s values of fairness, integrity, respect and a commitment to upholding human rights are the foundations for police work. We share a responsibility to ensure professional decision making and actions align with our values. In doing so everyone can contribute towards a consistent, positive working environment across the organisation.

The ability to understand, support and respond to the needs and experiences of the communities and colleagues has a significant impact on public trust and confidence. It is essential to the legitimacy of policing and maintenance of public trust and confidence that Police Scotland’s workforce both reflects and respects the diversity found within communities.

The Competency Values Framework will continue to support the delivery of a positive organisational culture by allowing Police Scotland to share, observe and measure behaviours whilst providing insights to support continuous improvement. An updated People Strategy will coordinate activity to provide our people with the support they need to perform effectively, whilst Policing Together will deliver a positive working experience and tangible change across the organisation.