Cross Agency Joint Working

One of the recommendations arising from the Angiolini Review Preliminary Report was that there should be the immediate establishment of a senior cross-agency Working Group involving the SPA, Police Scotland and the PIRC to develop appropriate and up-to-date guidance drawing on the considerable knowledge and expertise that exists within, and outwith, those organisations, consulting other experts and external organisations as and when required.

The Report further recommended that this approach would benefit from Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) representation. In response, a cross-agency National Complaint Handling Development Group (NCHDG) and Strategic Oversight Group (SOG) were established. Regular updates on the work of both groups are provided to the Committee.

National Complaint Handling Development Group (NCHDG)

The NCHDG was established in August 2019 to provide a forum for the SPA, Police Scotland and the PIRC to work collaboratively to consider all aspects of complaint handling in relation to policing in Scotland. Its original focus was on bringing practitioners from partner organisations together to address a number of practical issues, most of which have since been addressed. Whilst the group has since been highly successful in working collaboratively to deliver better complaint handling practice in Scottish policing and ultimately to improve public trust and confidence, it was recognised that it had since moved beyond its originally intended purpose.

At the time of establishment, it was also considered that the group would operate as a forum to consider the recommendations of the Angiolini Review and, where appropriate, to drive and deliver on relevant recommendations. Since then, separate national arrangements have been established in this regard, including the Practitioner Working Group on which all partner organisations are represented.

As a result, during 2022, and following discussion between partner organisations, it was agreed that it was appropriate to pause meetings of the group, to enable the opportunity reflect on and review its purpose and remit. The group met again on 8 June 2023, and agreed a refreshed focus on delivering better complaints handling via a peer group advisory forum format, with an opportunity to focus on areas of organisational learning and picking up on key matters being raised by the PIRC or the SPA Complaints & Conduct Committee; a vehicle to address issues, such as training, which arise due to officer rotation into and out of Police Scotland Professional Standards Department; and a means of prioritising and co-ordinating partner audit/dip-sampling plans. It is expected that a key early action of the group will be to engage with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to better understand support/resources available and how these might be utilised within complaints handling in policing in Scotland.

Strategic Oversight Group (SOG)

The SOG was formally established following publication of the Angiolini Review Preliminary Report in June 2019, and comprises representatives from Police Scotland, PIRC, SPA and COPFS, with the purpose of working together to achieve:

• increasing public confidence and satisfaction with service across all relevant bodies
• ensuring consistent practice in relation to complaints handling and investigations across the policing/justice sector
• dealing effectively and expeditiously with complaints to reduce delays
• increasing public awareness and understanding of the complaints handling and investigations process
• improving communication with the public around progress
• fostering proactive co-operation between organisations
• sharing relevant information in relation to all aspects of complaint handling and investigations

Following publication of the Angiolini Review Final Report, a new terms of reference was established for the SOG as part of the national governance structure established to oversee implementation of resulting recommendations, but with meetings having a partitioned agenda to allow for discussion of ongoing shared operational matters, in line with the original terms of reference for the group. During 2022-23, the focus of discussion in this regard has included the following:

• feedback following implementation in October 2021 of a new model for referral, assessment and investigation by PIRC of complaints against Police Scotland alleging a breach of Article 3/5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
• HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland Inspection of the management of criminal allegations against the police by COPFS report
• development of new on-call guidance