Early Insights/Deliverables

An accurate description of Police Scotland’s current response to PP is that despite improvements and the best efforts of staff, it can remain process driven rather than victim focused. There are clearly areas where we have improved the victim journey and our overall approach, but ultimately our response is influenced by our processes.

Evaluation of the insights has provided a broad picture of the current ‘As is’ state, identifying key themes across all the pillars whilst providing an understanding of where the challenges and opportunities lie. These themes are common to all pillars and will develop as we continue to gather further insights.

Some key early insights from the user research are:

• There are areas of policing, particularly in PP, that cannot be improved or changed without key partners doing likewise. There are significant challenges through the current set up of Scotland – 32 Local Authorities, 14 Health Boards, 6 Sheriffdoms and 1 Police Service with 13 LPD. This creates repetition, and promotes silo working, making collaboration more challenging. It also hampers the ability to comprehensively and accurately measure demand, not just statistical demand but also qualitative data.
• A trauma informed approach to victims is critical and work is required to ensure that everyone in policing who responds to PP matters (regardless of role) has been sufficiently trained to understand and respond effectively to trauma.
• ICT remains a challenge in policing resulting in inefficiencies and antiquated processes. Resolving ICT issues and modernisation would undoubtedly create capacity to allow a better response by PP.
• Officers and staff are being exposed to far more vicarious trauma than ever before due to specialised teams responding to increased reporting and/or demand. In short we have officers working in the same role for years dealing with some of the most traumatic crimes and incidents that policing respond to and we have to enhance our wellbeing to ensure that we are doing everything to support now and in the future.

Despite PPDP being a long term programme of work, it is critical any areas identified that can deliver change and improvement swiftly should be actioned without unnecessary delay. To date early deliverables that have been actioned include:

• SOLO Co-ordinators – it has been established there is no clear role description and many who do this ‘inherit’ the role with the post they hold. This means there is no consistency across the country and in many areas it is a role underutilised. To address this, work has commenced to create a role description and a short training course to support those undertaking this role.
• Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment for SOLOs – it is clear from research that female officers, particularly SOLO’s are being exposed to far more vicarious trauma than their male counterparts. This is predominantly due to both the perceived and actual request by victims for a female SOLO. It is important that we do respond to the needs of the victim, however we have to ensure that we have measures in place to ensure that our officer’s wellbeing is protected.
• Training – Despite pockets of good practice, there is a lack of consistency around relevant training for response officers in responding to PP matters. This has led to, for example, lack of confidence and quality in submission of Initial Briefing Reports and use of Early Evidence Kits. Probationer Training have commenced a review of Public Protection Training provided to probationers, with input from National PP Leads.

There continues to be ongoing work within business as usual teams that will drive change and improvement within PP. PPDP will not interfere with this but is sighted and will contribute where appropriate. This includes (but not limited to) the role out of Bairns’ Hoose, introduction of Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders and Notices, in addition to implementing formal recommendations such as those arising from HMICS Inspection into Police Scotland’s Response to Domestic Abuse.