POLICE SCOTLAND – PREVENT DELIVERY

Police Scotland play an essential role in the multi-agency delivery of Prevent. It holds information crucial in the assessment of risk, safeguarding of those susceptible to radicalisation and disrupting people engaged in radicalising others, appropriately shared through effective partnership working and engagement at local and national levels.

Prevent Case Management is led by Police Scotland’s National Prevent Delivery Unit (PDU) however delivery of the Prevent duty is embedded in all aspects of local policing, beginning within the Scottish Police College where all Probationary Constables are provided appropriate training inputs prior to divisional deployment.

Each territorial policing division utilises locally based Counter Terrorism Liaison Officers (CTLO) who liaise closely with the national PDU, supporting divisional CT leads to ensure the effective delivery of Prevent and the overall CONTEST strategy within divisions.

Prevent is also embedded in counter-terrorism investigations, providing identification of people who are susceptible to radicalisation and ensuring safeguarding and intervention opportunities are fully explored through appropriate information sharing with Prevent partners.

The effectiveness of collaborative working between Police Scotland PDU and CT Investigations is evident through the UK wide Home Office pilot of providing Prevent intervention via PMAP to children (under 18) parallel to ongoing investigation and/or pending prosecution for Terrorist Act (TACT) offences. Police Scotland are the biggest single contributor to this pilot which is providing positive results in addressing concerning ideology, reducing identified risk, and providing opportunity for diversion from prosecution.

In complying with the Prevent duty, those in leadership positions actively engage with internal and external partners, such as Scottish Government, Local Authorities and other Prevent leads across the specified authorities, as well as in local and national CONTEST governance structures such as the Prevent Sub Group and Scottish Multi-Agency CONTEST groups. This allows for a shared understanding of risk and threat posed and the development of best practice and operational delivery.

The following work streams will be progressed during 2024/25:

Assess how effectively the Prevent message is reaching operational officers across the 13 Police Scotland Divisions

Engage with the Home Office, Scottish Government and Prevent partners to encourage routine parallel intervention for children in Scotland engaged in TACT offending.

Support Scottish Government and Prevent partners in providing routes to intervention, post-conviction in custody and community settings.