The next phase of police reform

The next phase of Scottish policing reform will see us re-shape Police Scotland to meet the challenges of the next ten years and to realise our 2030 Vision. The nature of criminality and the threat it poses to communities continues to evolve. It is critical that our service is able to proactively manage and reduce threat, risk and harm across Scotland.

Our planning anticipates continuing public sector budget challenges, technological advancements, increasing demand, changing threats and shifting demographics.

We are committed to working collaboratively with partners, drawing on relevant experience to drive reform across the criminal justice system and the wider public sector.

The investment in each of our areas of focus will depend on funding allocated by the Scottish Government and the pace at which we can generate efficiencies and savings for re-investment.

The next phase of policing reform will see us introduce significant change across the areas set out below.

Building frontline capacity

Our priority is strengthening our frontline. We will seek to streamline back-office functions to create efficiencies and we will invest to increase our investigative capabilities and fight crime effectively.

• We will undertake whole system reform through a full review and redesign of our local policing approaches to incident response, community policing, local investigation, public protection and divisional support, including how we work with partners on problem solving and prevention. We will drive improvement to our training provision to advance investigative standards right across the organisation.
• We will implement nationally consistent, clearly defined investigative roles and responsibilities alongside improved access to national specialist and regional investigative capabilities to support complex and cross-boundary investigations. This will increase flexibility and deliver a better service to everyone across the country. Working with partners, we will deliver better outcomes for people in mental health crisis, while achieving whole-system efficiencies, including reducing the time officers spend in NHS emergency departments.
• We will reduce the amount of time officers spend in court when they are not required to give evidence.
• We will remove officers who are performing security duties at court.
• We will adopt a national approach around the proportionate response to crime.
• We will focus on improving the culture of policing, ensuring we become an inclusive, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory organisation.

Community policing

A new community policing focus will aim to increase the capacity and capability of our local policing teams. We will emphasise prevention and local problem-solving approaches with a clear ambition to increase confidence levels within our communities and with partners.

• We will ensure that identifiable and accessible community officers are available across all our community areas and provide improved visibility, communication and engagement for the public and our partners.
• We will make better use of data and insights which will aid innovative and structured problem-solving approaches with partners and focused prevention activities to address the root causes of community issues.
• We will improve our community policing model and strive to give the public the right service as quickly and conveniently as possible. We will work to reduce the number of people that you need to speak to when resolving your issue.
• We will work to ensure that our community policing model seeks to resolve more issues locally. We will allocate non-urgent calls to local officers who will work to deliver the most efficient and proportionate resolution to your issue.
• We will work hard every day to work as closely with the community as possible to strengthen community confidence – we know that this is driven by our visibility and how we communicate and follow-up.

Supported victims

We will support victims through improved trauma informed policing and a victim-centred approach and enable our people to deliver this effectively.

• Focus on a right first-time approach enabled by technology and skills which ensures victims and witnesses get the support they need from the outset, minimising the number of times they need to recount their experience.
• We will provide a tailored and professional level of care and support, based on individual needs from the earliest point of engagement.
• Building on the success of the Violence against Women and Girls Strategic engagement group we will continue to ensure that the voices of survivors are not just heard but are reflected in our actions.
• We will seek to improve our response to victims of Anti-Social Behaviour, many of whom are vulnerable, through prevention and problem solving focussed community policing.

Workforce modernisation

Our aim is to make maximum impact with a workforce that has the right skills and capacity to keep people safe. Our workforce will continue to be a mix of warranted police officers, staff and volunteers working together effectively. We will ensure that we plan effectively to introduce and develop the skills we need in Police Scotland.

The Chief Constable will be accountable for ensuring the correct balance of skills, experience and police powers across our workforce. The next phase of policing reform will see us take bold steps to modernise our workforce.

• We will review and revise our workforce mix to deliver the best service to the public.
• We will maximise the number of frontline officers and the time those officers spend in their communities, where they can have the greatest impact on preventing crime and reducing harm.
• We will work to increase the number of volunteers, including special constables and Police Scotland Youth Volunteers (PSYV).
• We will drive cultural improvement through a continued focus on the behavioural changes that are necessary at all levels of policing, ensuring the application of internal conduct or performance regulations are supported by improvements and good practice.

Public Contact

We will improve public contact, allowing self-service access to information to keep victims better updated on the progress of investigations.

• We will ensure the public can contact us in a way that best meets their needs, responding effectively when they contact us for help.
• We will provide responsive person-centred contact services, enabled by modern digital technologies.
• We will prioritise the needs and experiences of service users, ensuring every interaction is handled with care, respect and personalisation.
• We will leverage data analytics and incorporate service user feedback to design and deliver our services.
• We will invest in our people, ensuring we have the right workforce mix and an operating environment which meets the needs of a modern and high performing public contact service.
• We will invest in leadership, training and development, empowering our employees to provide knowledgeable and personalised assistance, creating a positive and supportive work environment.

Estates

Our aim is to deliver a more effective and sustainable estate that enables modern policing, supports the health, safety and wellbeing of our people and the communities we serve and reduces long term operating costs.

A prioritised ten-year programme of building improvements, refurbishments and disposals will be developed. The pace of implementation will be determined by the availability of funding.

For the buildings that we are seeking to dispose of based on poor condition, limited public or police use, we will set out the new preferred solutions – new-build, co-locations, consolidation – based on the needs of our communities and the move to our new policing model.

• We will develop a modern, well-designed and maintained estate that supports the improved wellbeing and welfare of our people.
• We will develop a custody estate that meets modern standards and is fit for the future.
• We will strengthen public trust and confidence by enhancing our visible presence in communities and offering appropriate public access to communities.

Science, innovation and technology

We will invest to develop our capabilities surrounding data science, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics.

Through better use of data analytics, backed up by commitment to a rights-based approach, we will equip our workforce to better identify patterns in order to more effectively anticipate where crimes are likely to occur, enabling targeted patrols and interventions and a broader understanding of emerging crime challenges.

• We will become an even more data-driven organisation, using data insights and evidence ethically in our decision-making to prevent harm and keep communities safe.
• We will use technology to create efficient processes.
• We will establish a cyber and fraud specialist division to enhance our response in Scotland, working with UK law enforcement and partner agencies.
• We will develop our capability through cyber and online training for the workforce, ensuring support and guidance for officers and staff.