Who We Are

The Scottish Police Authority is independent of both the Scottish Government and policing. It is the primary governance body for policing in Scotland, and was established as a public body on 1 April 2013 by the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. It was set up to hold the Chief Constable to account; promote, support and oversee improvement in policing. It is also responsible for the management and delivery of Forensic Services in Scotland and Independent Custody Visiting Scotland.

In this section, find out more about the Authority’s priorities, the Board and the Leadership team.

Who We Are

What We Do

The Scottish Police Authority is responsible for maintaining policing. It has four specific areas of responsibility:

promoting the policing principles

supporting continuous improvement

keeping policing under review

holding the Chief Constable to account.

This section tells you in outline what the Authority does.

What We Do

Complaints

Are you dissatisfied with the service you have received from policing in Scotland?

The Scottish Police Authority, Police Scotland and the Police Investigations and Reviews Commissioner (PIRC) all have a role to play in considering complaints about policing in Scotland.

In this section, find out who to direct your complaint to. We also welcome written communication in Gaelic (see our Gaelic Language Plan).

Complaints

Drug Driving Toxicology

The Scottish Police Authority is responsible for providing forensic services to the criminal justice sector in Scotland including Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscals Service (COPFS), and the Police Investigations and Reviews Commissioner (PIRC).

This page provides more information on the area of criminal toxicology, specifically in relation to drug driving, a field of forensic services that has been the focus of change and improvement over recent years in response to new Scottish legislation.

Impact of drug driving legislation

Changes to the Road Traffic Act 1988 were enacted in Scotland on 21 October 2019. The new legislation has meant a significant increase in demand for the SPA Forensic Services team, who are responsible for testing and analysis of all related blood samples, and for reporting back to Police Scotland and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Find out more about Impact of drug driving legislation

Oversight and Progress

The Authority’s Forensic Services Committee, chaired by Paul Edie (pictured), oversees and monitors delivery of all forensic service provision. With the changes in drug driving legislation causing challenges for the Forensics team, the committee stepped up its oversight and scrutiny of key areas.

Find out more about Oversight and Progress

HMICS thematic review

The HMICS (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland) review of SPA Forensic Toxicology Provision was carried out in 2022 on request of Authority members, to seek an independent review and assurance on the response that has been taken to recent challenges for the service.

Find out more about HMICS Thematic Review

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Drug Driving Toxicology

Impact of drug driving legislation

Oversight and Progress

HMICS thematic review