Annual Review Of Policing 2016/17 Improving policing for Scotland’s communities SCOTTISHSCOTTISH POLICE POLICE AUTHORITY AUTHORITY -– ANNUAL ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICINGPOLICING 2016/17 2016/17
Contents
Introduction...... Page 4
Chair’s Foreword...... Page 6
Chief Constable’s Comments...... Page 8
1. Executive Summary...... Page 9
2. SPA Contribution to Policing...... Page 12 2.1 SPA Corporate Delivery in 2016/17...... Page 16 2.2 The Role of the Responsible Employer...... Page 17 2.3 Developing Our Scrutiny and Assurance...... Page 19 2.4 SPA Community Accountability...... Page 21
3. SPA Forensic Services...... Page 27
4. Policing Delivery...... Page 34 4.1 Public Confidence – A Key Measure for Policing...... Page 36 4.2 Violence, Disorder and Antisocial Behaviour...... Page 39 4.3 Prevent First...... Page 41 4.4 Reducing Offending...... Page 44 4.5 Case Studies...... Page 48 4.6 Hate Crime and Community Cohesion...... Page 50 4.7 Domestic Abuse...... Page 54 4.8 Serious Organised Crime...... Page 58 4.9 Counter Terrorism...... Page 67 4.10 Policing Major Events...... Page 70 4.11 Protecting People at Risk of Harm...... Page 74 4.12 Road Safety and Road Crime...... Page 81 4.13 Domestic Housebreaking...... Page 85 4.14 Corporate Delivery...... Page 89 4.15 Organisational Learning...... Page 94
5. Policing 2026 – The Future...... Page 101
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Annual Review of Policing 2016-17
This Annual Review of Policing 2016/17 is available to members of the public electronically from the SPA website at: www.spa.police.uk A Gaelic language version will be made available following this publication.
Laid before the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Police Authority in pursuance of Section 39 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (19 June 2017) (SPA/2017/01) 3 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
Introduction
Since the establishment of the Police Service Police Scotland also recognised the need of Scotland (Police Scotland) and the Scottish for a refreshed approach to performance Police Authority (SPA) at the beginning management and work was undertaken, in of 2013/14, the first three years of Police collaboration with the SPA, to develop an Scotland resulted in the consolidation of approach that focuses on delivering positive many of the benefits of reform, through outcomes for people and communities, the amalgamation of legacy structures and rather than emphasising outputs. The aim is a consistent focus on delivering a quality to increase public confidence in policing and policing service to Scotland’s communities. promote a positive performance culture that In the context of the longer term reform empowers officers and staff to make better journey, 2016/17 was a transitional year decisions. In 2016/17 there was a gradual that provided an opportunity for both the shift to this approach, which was evident SPA and Police Scotland to take stock and from improving quarterly public performance consider the next steps to full realisation reporting and this will be consolidated in of the benefits of the single service, the next few years in support of Policing within existing and anticipated financial 2026. Important areas for improvement constraints. It became evident that whilst the going forward include: demonstrating amalgamation associated with operational evidence of policing impact within multi- policing delivery was strong throughout the agency contexts; evidencing improvements first four years, with new national systems arising from partnership working for public and structures having been developed safety and wellbeing and public perceptions to support improved local and national/ and confidence; and the development of specialist policing, the amalgamation of stronger case study evidence and evaluations corporate support services functions and with respect to pilots and initiatives. associated national ICT systems was less advanced. In addition, a considerable amount of work was undertaken to address the findings from Throughout 2016/17, the SPA and Police the Employee Opinion Survey undertaken Scotland worked in collaboration to develop in October 2015. An interim, staff ‘Pulse’ a 10 year Strategy for Policing in Scotland Survey was undertaken in late 2016 to (Policing 2026). This would address both measure progress. The survey highlighted operational and corporate priorities as part a number of areas where additional focus is of a broader ‘whole organisation’ approach. required and where areas for improvement Policing 2026 aligns to the new strategic remain to be resolved. This work police priorities set by Scottish Government demonstrates the SPA and Police Scotland’s in the autumn of 2016, which provide new commitment to promoting staff wellbeing expectations of how future policing will be and enabling a positive organisational culture delivered in Scotland. that supports effective and efficient service delivery - a strategic objective of Policing 2026. Realistically, it is likely to take two or three years before there is significant evidence of improvement of staff responses as a result of implementation of Policing 2026 objectives. 4 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
The aim of this fourth Annual Review of Policing is to present an accurate picture of policing performance during 2016/17, with an assessment of Police Scotland’s performance as well as that of the SPA’s performance in carrying out its functions. Evidence relating to both operational and organisational delivery and an assessment of how far policing is delivering the aims of Police Reform as well as the benefits is included. 2016/17 was the final year of operation for Police Scotland under the SPA Strategic Police Plan. A richer performance story was able to be told, due in part to the developing Police Scotland qualitative evidence-base, building a local, national and corporate picture of ongoing engagement, collaboration and delivery of improvements in support of policing priorities. Where relevant this review also presents evidence and comment from key policing stakeholders and scrutiny partners – for example Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS), the Scottish Institute of Policing Research (SIPR) and Local Authorities, as this is valuable external evidence that helps to validate the SPA’s overall assessment of policing performance across the year.
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Chair’s Foreword
This Annual Review of Policing marks the fourth year of the single police service in Scotland. With the structure no longer new, there is a body of past evidence available and it is therefore with greater confidence that the SPA can assess that in 2016-17 Police Scotland met its annual objectives and continued to deliver a service to a high quality and consistency. Whether the service in its entirety has improved in the last 12 months is more challenging to assess because of two factors. First, the considerable emerging challenges, threats, complexities and ambiguities in the environment in which Police Scotland operates. Second, the increasing realisation that the framework within which we assess policing performance is incomplete, and in particular does not allow us to fully capture the vital and often life-changing role our staff Andrew Flanagan, play in addressing vulnerability in our society. SPA Chair What existing performance demonstrates is that crime is reducing across most A strong continuing performance in solving categories, with the majority of crimes being crimes should not mask the expanding detected. Rises in some types of violent and territory across which the service requires sexual crimes are priorities, and are being to tackle offending. The concept of the blue addressed with initiative and vigour. More line protecting the law abiding from the needs to be done to encourage victims law breaking now stretches far beyond the of crimes to report all incidents to the streets to the private spaces of our homes police, with domestic and historical sexual and the often darker recesses of the online offending two areas where greater recording world. That requires new strategies, new of incidents would in the short term be a capabilities, and new skills and roles. positive sign. We are reassured by Police Scotland’s collaboration with partners to address this societal challenge.
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Communities continue to benefit from the Policing is a dynamic process that rarely more routine and flexible deployment of allows the luxury of a look back at national resources to meet regional and local performance, without a concurrent and demands. We have seen a step change in anticipatory look ahead. This year we the relationship between the national service have raised heads to look beyond the and its local partners and stakeholders. immediate and impending. The Policing 2026 Police Scotland is making real strides in taking programme has provided unprecedented a local approach wherever possible, and insight into what we do now, what we will being more locally sensitive when it requires require to do in the future, and how to to organise itself nationally. The necessary move from one to the other. upscaling of our armed officer capability over the last year is an acknowledged example - The strategy aims to ensure that policing and sadly all too prescient. is organised, skilled and flexible enough to respond to wider societal needs and The SPA is grateful for the continued sophisticated threats. It provides direction to commitment, understanding and loyalty of our workforce, the communities we serve its workforce in Police Scotland and the SPA’s and will support efforts to build a sustainable governance and Forensic Services staff. As organisation that can invest in the policing employers, we have been enriched through activities that communities rely on. That it the year with the insight and feedback the has been founded upon the largest public workforce has provided, and we are working consultation exercise ever carried out by closely with Police Scotland’s refreshed policing in Scotland is also significant. leadership team to address concerns raised by the workforce. The SPA’s assessment is that we have good foundations for progressing to the next This is the first full year under a new Chief crucial phase of true service transformation, Constable and the SPA has worked with him and greater confidence in policing’s direction to freshen the leadership of Police Scotland and our collective ability to reach that to ensure the service is able to meet the destination more than we could have stated wider challenges of changing demand and 12 months ago. financial sustainability. We expect this Annual Review of Policing The Board of the SPA has also strengthened will be an important benchmark for Police its stewardship of policing over the period, Scotland as it progresses to implementation though again we acknowledge that there of the strategy, and for the SPA in its role is more to do to better clarify our role and of holding the Chief Constable to account. explain its impact. Enhancing the depth of A review that in future years will become the Board - in finance, audit, technology and the key public record – and public test - of human rights - has improved oversight of progress. key change programmes like call handling, and brought necessary grip to address our Andrew Flanagan budget deficit. Chair, SPA
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Chief Constable’s Comments
I welcome the opportunity to comment on the Annual Review of Policing 2016/17 and I am delighted that it illustrates a picture of consistent improvements across Scottish policing. As I reflect on the year, I am struck by the dedication and hard work of our staff, serving the many communities of 1 Scotland and protecting them from harm. A dedication that is unfaltering even when faced with difficult challenges, continual demand and financial constraints. The report highlights the positive progress that continues to be made in delivering the aims of police reform, delivering a national service at a local level. I firmly believe communities are at the heart of policing and it is essential we continue to put local communities first in our planning and delivery. We must draw upon specialist resources, where and when required and Phil Gormley QPM, not determined by geographic boundaries, Chief Constable to best support locally-distinct policing. Local scrutiny mechanisms by which we are held to account for delivery of all these services continue to strengthen with maturity. I am This year marked the start of a journey that delighted to see evidence of this progress in I believe will transform policing over the the last year and look forward to building on next decade. Our 10 Year Strategy provides these successes in the coming year. the direction we need to develop our skills and capabilities to meet future challenges, Whilst there are many positives to whilst improving the safety and wellbeing draw upon, we cannot lose sight of the of people, places and communities across operational and corporate challenges, we Scotland. face. Demands on policing and other public services continue to grow as the needs of Phil Gormley QPM, Scottish society change, alongside sustained Chief Constable expectations of improved efficiency. In order to understand and meet these challenges we have developed a long term strategy for Policing in Scotland. The strategy examines current and future demands and sets out our vision of sustained excellence in service and protection.
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1.0 Executive Summary
This fourth Annual Review of Policing provides a wide selection of evidence, from an ever-expanding evidence-base of operational policing performance and forensic services delivery that allows the SPA to convey a story of the state of contemporary policing in Scotland, set against the context of police reform and through the lens of the defined benefits of reform. As reform activity to build a national policing service moves to the next transformational stage as part of the Policing 2026 strategic journey, this review provides an opportunity to reflect on the extent to which the aims of reform were further achieved during 2016/17.
The Review contains evidence of delivery In relation to delivery of the second aim of the first aim of reform – to protect and of reform – create more equal access to improve local services – with a variety of specialist support and national capacity examples that support SPA’s view that local - the review contains evidence of new policing is continuously improving, with national capacity and capability that would community interests and feedback listened not have been realised under legacy force to and taken into account in the planning arrangements, with delivery evidenced and delivery of policing services across the across all divisions– for example major country at a local level. However there is investigation teams to support murder still much work to be done and moving investigations and national task forces for forward, the SPA would expect to see more rape and domestic abuse crimes. There demonstrable evidence of the impact that is evidence of a national approach, but multi-agency activity at a local level is having with unique local flavour – for example on crime and harm reduction, public safety local partnership-working between victim and wellbeing, and public confidence. support agencies and policing to provide the individually-tailored service sought by victims. There are challenges ahead, as work to deliver Policing 2026 includes assessment of the emerging complex demands on policing and what the response will be. Moving forward, the SPA would expect to see more evidence of how these demands on policing are being assessed and responded to within the context of having national capabilities and capacity.
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There is also improving evidence in this review to support the delivery of the third aim of reform – strengthen the connection between services and communities, creating a new formal relationship with all 32 local authorities. Perhaps more importantly, specific feedback from local authority scrutiny bodies that tells the SPA what they like in relation to policing delivery, what they want to see more of and what really matters to their communities is also featured. Looking to the future, the SPA will expect to see further improvement with respect to Local Policing Plans in terms of their evidence- based development, implementation and ongoing performance assessment. In addition the SPA will expect to see evidence of Police Scotland’s contribution to each authority’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan. In summary a wide range of information is presented that provides evidence of planned and responsive policing and related service delivery, often in partnership with key stakeholders. This is what the SPA would expect to see, however as policing in Scotland moves forward in the strategic direction encapsulated in Policing 2026 and its objectives, it is recognised that policing must improve how it assesses and responds to the many demands made on the service, including planning to meet future demands and challenges. There is also a requirement to be able to better measure continued improvement and the increased effectiveness of policing, including those forensic services that support policing, in terms of impact on key outcomes, including public confidence.
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SPA Contribution 2 to Policing
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2.0 SPA – Contribution to Policing
The SPA continued to improve its approach to supporting policing in Scotland over the last year, through: the provision of services (for example, Forensic Services, Independent Custody Visiting, and Complaints and Conduct); improved approaches to the governance and scrutiny of policing (at a national and local level); the joint development of Policing 2026; and through a strengthening of financial planning, management and accountability arrangements. The SPA will look to further improve in 2017/18, taking into account its own scheduled review of the new governance framework implemented in December 2016, as well as the findings from HMIC’s inspections of both Forensic Services and SPA Corporate. The SPA also received helpful feedback on governance from local authorities as part of the annual exercise to gather feedback on engagement with policing on local priorities and scrutiny of policing.
The SPA’s Statutory Responsibility for The Annual Review of Policing sets out the Annual Review of Policing an assessment of the SPA’s performance in carrying out its functions in support The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act of achieving the Strategic Police Plan 2012 states that the SPA must prepare an objectives and an assessment of Police annual report as soon as practicable after Scotland’s performance towards achieving the end of each reporting year. The annual the commitments set out in the Annual report – The Annual Review of Policing - is Police Plan, which is aligned to supporting undertaken as part of the SPA’s statutory achievement of the Strategic Police Plan responsibilities with respect to annual objectives. This document fulfils those reports, accounts, audit and examination. commitments and has been presented to It is separate and distinct from the SPA’s Scottish Ministers and laid in the Scottish Annual Report and Accounts published every Parliament. year in line with the statutory timetable and in accordance with the Scottish Public The Role of the SPA Board is to Finance Manual. maintain, support and promote the policing principles, and keep under review policing in Scotland and hold the Chief Constable to account for the effective delivery of policing services. 13 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
During 2016/17 the SPA implemented During audits of the 2014/15 accounts, the recommendations outlined in the weaknesses in financial processes and Chair’s Review of Governance in Policing, controls were highlighted by Audit Scotland. published in March 2016. This involved a To address these, the SPA undertook a review of Terms of Reference of the existing series of actions to effect improvements committees as well as the establishment of and address concerns, beginning with the two new governance groups, the Policing appointment of an Interim Chief Financial Committee and the Forensic Services Officer at the beginning of 2016 to oversee Management Advisory Group. improvements to financial governance processes. The SPA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the day-to-day The publication of the Chair’s Review of running of the SPA and provides leadership Governance in Policing at the end of March to SPA’s officers. The CEO also serves as 2016 enabled changes which strengthened the Accountable Officer and is personally the ability of the Accountable Officer to responsible for the propriety and regularity direct and control financial management of the public finances allocated to the SPA across policing. Later in the year, the and maintaining sound systems of internal executive finance structure within policing control which support the achievement was re-organised and a new lead officer of the organisation’s policies, aims and post created, with a recruitment exercise for objectives. The CEO must ensure that the a Chief Financial Officer of Police Scotland resources are used in an economic, efficient position being overseen by the SPA, with and effective manner and is accountable appointment in May 2017. to the Scottish Parliament for all financial matters associated with policing in Scotland. A long-term financial strategy for policing was presented to SPA Board Members in late Strengthening Accountability and 2015/16 and was subsequently reviewed and Financial Management refreshed during 2016/17, ensuring support to the delivery of Policing 2026. A budgeting and reporting system is in place, with monthly management accounts being Whilst the work to address reported to the SPA Board’s Finance and recommendations and strengthen the Investment Committee. Significant variances capabilities of financial management remains from budget are investigated and financial ongoing, Audit Scotland, during the 2016/17 forecasts revised throughout each year. audit of the previous financial year’s account noted progress across areas highlighted for improvement. However SPA acknowledges that there is still further progress to be made, and a larger programme of work is underway to improve the full range of financial controls.
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Protecting Public Money In its subsequent review of the i6 Programme, Audit Scotland highlighted that The i6 Programme was conceived in 2011, good practice was followed in the planning before the creation of the single service, and procurement of the i6 Programme, and with the objectives to develop national that the contractual settlement negotiated common policing processes and acquire a by SPA ultimately resulted in no financial national ICT solution. The programme had detriment to the public purse. the potential to realise significant savings with the implementation of a fully integrated core SPA CEO John Foley said, “Clearly, there operational policing solution over a ten-year are lessons to learn across the public sector period outlined in the business case. on large ICT projects and we look forward to Audit Scotland’s broader findings...... During 2016/17 the SPA CEO led an Developing effective ICT solutions in options-appraisal exercise involving Police transforming corporate services and Scotland and the directors of Accenture, improving operational productivity are providers of the proposed i6 computer central to our long-term strategy and we system. As a result, SPA reached an will ensure that any further lessons are agreement with Accenture in July 2016 to considered before implementation plans are bring the i6 Programme to an end. The finalised.” efficiency gains that were expected to be achieved from the project will now not be Work is underway to develop, implement realised within the envisaged timescales. and rollout alternative ICT solutions to i6, There is no doubt that the cancellation of as part of the investment in technology the i6 Programme resulted in the failure to associated with Policing 2026. deliver multiple benefits that would have significantly helped the service operationally and to move towards a position of financial sustainability
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2.1 SPA Corporate Delivery in 2016/17
During the year the SPA corporate team delivered a range of objectives within the SPA Business Plan, as well as fulfilling their statutory obligations. The SPA’s Strategy and Performance team contributed significantly to the development of the Policing 2026 programme from spring 2016 onwards, providing people and expertise to work alongside Police Scotland on this landmark collaboration, and SPA officers in Communications and Relationships also helped to shape internal and external consultation and engagement activity.
SPA’s Statutory Obligations Complaints and Conduct Investigation for Senior Officers • 31 new contacts within the SPA remit for investigation were received over 2016/17, and 44 outstanding contacts were closed over the year.
Information Management and Freedom of Information (FOI) • The SPA implemented its record management scheme, and resolved 76 FOI requests over the course of the year
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2.2 The Role of the Responsible Employer
The SPA is the legal employer of all police staff in Scotland, the majority of whom fall under the direction and control of the Chief Constable and work in departments that are part of Police Scotland. The SPA carries out a range of activities as the responsible employer, and ensures that appropriate mechanisms exist to allow the Board to have oversight and assurance of people-related matters.
Over 2016/17, these areas of work included the facilitation of senior officer recruitment in Police Scotland, management of retirement and dismissal processes, business continuity planning and conducting health and safety-related duties.
Mainstreaming Equality • Assurance that the SPA has met its specific employer duties under the Equality Act The Public Sector Equality Duty requires by following the principles of the Scottish that the SPA publishes its equality outcomes Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) 10 every four years, whilst every two years Good Practice Building Blocks1. it should report on progress of outcomes and how equalities considerations are being The SPA published its Equality and Diversity mainstreamed into the work of SPA officers Mainstreaming Progress Report, finding and staff. that significant progress in mainstreaming In 2016/17 the SPA delivered: equalities was made over the last two years, including: • A mainstreaming report, reporting progress against equality outcomes; • Establishment of an SPA Equality Leads Forum to ensure a co-ordinated approach • An analysis of employee information to equalities; provided to the SPA by Police Scotland in relation to SPA staff; • Improved contacts with external organisations that represent protected • Development of the SPA Equal Pay characteristic groups; and Statement, Gender Pay Gap and Occupational Segregation information; • Confirmation that the SPA’s Equality, Quality and Human Rights Impact • Development and progress of the SPA Assessment played an influential role specific actions as a result of the employee in the development of the SPA information analysis and Equal Pay Governance Framework. Statement; and 17 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
The report also identified gaps in information gathering, and laid out actions to be implemented which will ensure improved progress towards employer duties in the future. Alongside its report, the SPA also published its Equality Outcomes for the period 2017-20212. These outcomes encompass seven priority areas which support the SPA’s organisational responsibilities in relation to governance, budget, service provision, communication and engagement, and employment. The outcomes were informed through a range of consultation and engagement, national research and analysis of equality monitoring information. The outcomes closely align with the new Strategic Police Priorities and the outcomes of Policing 2026, due to be finalised later in 2017.
1. http://eqhria.scottishhumanrights.com/eqhriagoodpractice.html Accessed 30th May, 2017
2. http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/397026/397031 18 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
2.3 Developing Our Scrutiny and Assurance
The SPA’s HR Governance team approach evolved over the last year, introducing a new type of scrutiny – joint working - to its rolling plan of activity. This saw the team working more directly alongside Police Scotland on critical strategic issues. Each member of the team focused on a distinct area of work, including: Health and safety; Recruitment and retention; employee relations; Ill-health retirement and; Policing 2026.
A significant amount of scrutiny was also undertaken on the Staff Pay and Reward Modernisation Project, providing a level of assurance of the current phase of the programme. This included oversight of the job evaluation process and data integrity work and observing first hand staff feedback from programme workshops. Additional people-related matters included key contributions to agreement on equality related issues for police officer terms and conditions; work towards the pension auto-enrolment process and engagement proposals with staff associations and trade unions. However this is still an area of significant risk and more assurance is required moving forward.
On Health and Safety Assurance SPA Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme The SPA provided specialist advice on fire safety matters and contributed to the The prime consideration of the ICV Scheme development of training packages as part is to ensure the good treatment of those in of the Health and Safety Executive Action custody. The team at SPA is responsible for Plan. To further strengthen collaborative coordinating and engaging with visitors and work between the SPA and Police Scotland, key justice partners involved in the care and the SPA’s Health and Safety specialist was welfare of detainees. embedded within Police Scotland to help deliver a number of action plans. Below are some achievements in the delivery of the national ICV Scheme during 2016/17: 19 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
• Over 3,000 individuals in police custody Influencing Role were seen by volunteers. The numbers of volunteer custody visitors increased to 159 The prime consideration of the ICV Scheme across Scotland – an increase of 11 on the is to ensure the good treatment of those in previous year. The recruitment of custody custody. The team at SPA is responsible for visitors is a continuing process in targeted coordinating and engaging with visitors and areas such as Shetland and the Western key justice partners involved in the care and Isles. A varied range of promotional welfare of detainees. activities were undertaken over the year The National Preventive Mechanism is made - for example interviews with BBC Radio up of 21 statutory bodies that independently Shetland and placing adverts on Volunteer monitor places of detention. This was set up Scotland and local volunteer organisations’ to ensure regular visits to places of detention websites. During the year, 99 expressions were made in order to prevent torture and of interest were received, with 12 other ill-treatment, as required by OPCAT. candidates having progressed through the OPCAT recognises that people in detention recruitment and vetting process. are particularly vulnerable and requires States to set up a national level body that can • All custody suites featuring in the Police support efforts to prevent ill-treatment in Scotland Custody Estate were visited detention. during the period April 1st 2016 to March 31st 2017, fulfilling one of the scheme’s prime obligations under OPCAT3.
• For the third consecutive year NO significant issues regarding care or ill treatment of detainees were raised, either by detainees or custody visitors.
• Delivery of National Conference – this was held in May 2016 at the George Hotel, Edinburgh for existing volunteers and included a range of speakers. Discussion topics included National Preventive Mechanism, Immigration Detainees, Mental Ill Health in Custody and New Psychoactive Substances.
• Training was developed with partners at the Scottish Human Rights Commission on Equality and Human Rights and delivered at regular visitor meetings.
3. United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). 20 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
2.4 SPA Community Accountability
How National Supports Local - Key SPA - Strengthening Assurance on Strategic Developments 2016/17 the Local Accountability of Policing Localism has emerged as a key strategic During 2016/17 SPA engagement with theme over the course of the first four local authorities has become increasingly years of the new policing arrangements targeted in its approach, with the Chair in Scotland and this has manifested itself and Executive team leading participation in a number of important and tangible in the North Forum for Policing and Fire ways during 2016/17. In 2016, the Scottish Services, providing additional reassurance on Government published new Strategic Police Scotland’s service direction, including Police Priorities, which included localism as the Contact, Command and Control C3 a key strategic priority. Policing 2026 has Integration and Remodelling Programme. embedded the commitment to supporting The Executive team also led engagement localism in the future strategic approach for with COSLA and member activity has been policing in Scotland, which is an important directed where it can add most value, with development given the refresh of Local a strong focus on the annual Partners in Policing Plans in 2017/18. Scrutiny Forum, held in March 2017.
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) has also set up a new Forum for the Conveners of Local Scrutiny Committees for policing, meanwhile policing and public service partners have been responding to the requirements of Community Empowerment legislation in terms of policy responses, processes and procedures and partnership working arrangements moving forward. This is all further evidence of advancing the aims of police reform with respect to formalising and strengthening the role of local authorities and their relationship with the police, through local scrutiny and engagement with local policing commanders and more joined-up approaches to community planning and the contribution of the police service at a local level to the achievement of shared outcomes for local communities.
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Improving the evidence base Highlights from the year’s In 2016/17 SPA considered evidence Forum included: provided by Police Scotland, with initiatives • Peer networking and the sharing of good to strengthen localism including:- practice, allowing for early engagement on • “Your View Counts” – a new online survey emerging business. to gather community feedback and inform the development of local and national • Opportunity for early engagement with policing plans, offering volume response local authorities on Policing 2026, ahead of and the capacity to focus on views of the formal consultation process. seldom heard groups. • Police Scotland presented on “Delivering • New Regional Forums for Police Scotland Localism”. and local scrutiny conveners established • Glasgow City Council provided a local in the East and West command regions, perspective on scrutiny and engagement. and the North Forum extended to cover all local authorities in the North command • Participants indicated wide acceptance region. of the benefits of linking scrutiny to community planning, streamlining • A resolution pathway for local authorities reporting arrangements and the for any matters which cannot be importance of carrying forward an resolved locally. evidence-based approach in local planning • A new Police Scotland approach to and scrutiny. delivering local policing plans for 2017/18, • Regional Forums, Partners in Scrutiny fostering further integration with and the COSLA Police Scrutiny community planning, supported by the Conveners’ Forum were viewed as SPA Board in March 2017. positive developments, and participants • The establishment of a multi-agency Public reported an improving picture and good Confidence Steering Group in March 2017, engagement with policing overall. to oversee the strategic co-ordination and development of evidence-based activity to improve confidence and satisfaction in policing across Scotland.
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Gathering local perspectives to Responses indicated a high degree of provide evidence of public confidence satisfaction, with the overall local perception in policing delivery being one of improvement. Many examples were provided of good practice and In order to test the success of Police some improvement opportunities were Scotland’s refreshed approach to localism, also identified. Developing structures to the SPA invited all local authorities to strengthen community planning were contribute feedback for this Annual Review viewed as an opportunity to improve of Policing. The SPA received 21 responses engagement and community involvement. from local scrutiny committees, capturing the views of elected members with significant Nineteen of 21 responses expressed a high involvement in the scrutiny of policing in or very high degree of satisfaction with current administrations. The SPA sought policing’s engagement on local priority their views on; setting: • Satisfaction with Police Scotland’s “The Safe Glasgow Group are satisfied with the engagement with elected members and policing engagement on local priority setting in communities on priority setting. this period. There has been full communication with the Glasgow Community Planning • Satisfaction with the quality of Police partners in relation to local police plans, and Scotland’s local reporting. consideration given to all comments received”. Glasgow City Council, Safe Glasgow • The support offered by policing to Group local scrutiny. “We are very satisfied with the local authority • Any examples of good practice and policing engagement with communities and suggested improvement actions at the local authority particularly in relation to local level. the links to local members and the reporting of police matters to Area Forums and community What did we learn? council meetings”. Scottish Borders The SPA established that the overall picture Council, Police, Fire & Rescue and Safer emerging is one of improvement and higher Communities Board levels of local satisfaction, along with some All responses indicated that local reporting areas identified for further improvement, is considered effective in supporting local notably assurance on how local perspectives scrutiny: can inform national decision-making processes. On-going assurance on the “Reporting is concise and current with full delivery of localism is being further context and a willingness to respond to embedded into the work of the SPA questions raised at committee with open Policing Committee. and honest dialogue. This results in a very effective discussion around performance against priorities”. Aberdeen City Council, Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee.
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All respondents considered that Police Scotland’s support for and engagement with Reports of good practice on local scrutiny processes was effective during joint-working at a local level 2016/17: have been identified for the “We consider that Police Scotland’s following issues: engagement with the Scrutiny Committee has gone from strength to strength”. Argyll and • Violence against women and domestic Bute Council, Performance Review and abuse; Scrutiny Committee • Missing persons; “This has been fully effective”. Aberdeenshire Council, Policy and Resources • Road safety work with young drivers; Committee. • Initiatives to reduce offending and antisocial “The scrutiny process has been developed behaviour; over the lifetime of the Police, Fire and Rescue Sub-Committee and is now regarded as very • Emergency planning; effective in holding Police Scotland to account and informing Police Scotland of community • Joint community engagement and issues and concerns”. Dumfries and consultation; and Galloway Police, Fire and Rescue • Co-location to support joint working, Sub-Committee deliver best value, and offer shared Of the remainder, one described customer service facilities. engagement as improving but would like to see greater joint community engagement An example of feedback from one local on priorities across all community planning authority: partners; another indicated they were “content” with levels of engagement. “Police officers are co-located with the Safer Communities Team. Multi-agency working In addition, four respondents voluntarily and tasking is effective and the Hub is offered additional feedback on governance. to be extended to include local Offender Of these, two mentioned specific concerns Management officers……. CS Hub handles all that SPA Board papers were not available complex repeat Missing People, ensuring there well in advance of SPA Board meetings. is a holistic approach so reducing bureaucracy, Another indicated some concern around increasing consistency and reducing the changes to control rooms, but emphasised number of reports. This is a response to the the importance of positive engagement at a Scottish Government Missing Person Strategy local and national level. Another commented and the Partnership is one of the Pathfinder that they would continue to welcome areas.” occasional (annual) meetings with SPA colleagues to develop relationships and allow for strategic dialogue.
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Improved articulation of the policing The SPA Performance Team performance story Developed and introduced assurance Police Scotland is leading work to enhance frameworks surrounding two high-profile clarity on what performance information areas of operational policing: C3 and Stop demonstrates and build knowledge of the and Search. range and impact of policing activity locally. Often reports have additional context These models of assurance were designed, to support performance data, there are in collaboration with Police Scotland, to increased inputs to local committees from enhance SPA Board Member governance Police Scotland Specialist Divisions, briefings that can surround either transformational on thematic topics such as Serious Organised change or targeted improvement plans. Crime and multi-agency initiatives, and visits Board members were presented with to Police Scotland Service Centre sites and assurance assessments conducted by the Area Control Rooms. Performance team that highlight areas of achievement and areas where further The benefits of reporting at neighbourhood progress may be required. To achieve this: level supports local accountability and enables scrutiny committees to have a more • Enhanced and earlier information-sharing strategic focus. For example: has been introduced in those areas subject to assurance reporting; “This has been an extremely positive development and enables strategic scrutiny • Bespoke performance indicators have to take place at the Communities and been developed to ensure that more Partnerships Committee but for more local meaningful and balanced measures can be matters to be discussed within an appropriate reported; forum. The positive contribution and engagement from Police Scotland in these local • Records dip-sampling and independent committees has been welcomed by Members analysis is conducted by the SPA to validate and demonstrates effective support for local data and afford SPA a proportionate level scrutiny”. Highland Council of sight of tactical-level activity; • Information is weighed against a set of assurance criteria and professional judgement is applied in order to provide an objective assessment on progress;
• Findings are presented to Board Members at SPA committee-level, informing and directing scrutiny on the subject, before any onward recommendations are made to the SPA Board.
Next Steps
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In introducing this layer of reporting to SPA Board Members, the available evidence base used to inform decision-making and appraise progress is deeper, directed and rigorously tested. Now tested, the assurance model will be used as a basis to conduct future SPA assurance activity in support of Policing 3 2026 delivery.
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SPA Forensic 3 Services
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3.0 SPA Forensic Services - Supporting Policing
SPA Forensic Services has been delivering this enhanced service option since 2011, following the establishment of a national model for forensic service delivery within Scotland. Following the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 these services are managed and delivered as part of the SPA - ensuring a suitable degree of independence and impartiality from Police Scotland.
The national model is structured around four the investigation of volume crime in Scotland. key functions: scene examination, biology, physical science, and business support and The requirement and complexity of forensic quality. To facilitate this, the model has seen science is also influenced by the changing the establishment of: nature of crime. Two key examples of this have been (1) in the use of New • Local Satellite Laboratories (LSLs) which Psychoactive Substances which is changing are primarily focussed on delivering a the nature of forensic analysis in drugs local reactive service to Police Scotland casework; and (2) the increased reporting and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal of sexual crime which means that today Service (COPFS); and more samples and submissions for biological analysis involve searching for invisible fluids • High Volume Processing Units (primarily rather than the analysis of blood. in the areas of drugs, fingerprints, and biology and DNA). As techniques within forensic science progress, more can be done to support The past year saw significant advances the investigation and detection of crime. with the roll-out of new services and the New technologies become available along extensions to scope as part of the SPA with new instrumentation and analytical Forensic Services’ externally accredited techniques which provide value to the quality management system. criminal justice process. Some of these techniques provide efficiencies; however, Science starts at the scene and Forensic Services continues to provide a responsive, flexible response at incidents. It is recognised that there is a need to prioritise and deploy proportionately to meet the needs of policing; this can present challenges which in turn necessitates improvement and innovation. A swifter footwear intelligence workflow using a national Image Management System (IMS) was put in place in 2016/17, and is seeing a positive impact on
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many add extra complexity to the process. The complexity of new techniques means that Forensic Services is effectively becoming less productive in terms of the number of items examined by the scientific team. Conversely, the outcomes of casework are increasing in their significance, as more meaningful information can be obtained. For example, the introduction of DNA244 and STRmix5 technologies has greatly enhanced the number of profiles identified and which can be interpreted, compared to just two years ago. While presenting an additional effort for Forensic Services, it is far outweighed by the added value of the forensic outcome to both Police Scotland and the Crown Office.
Forensic Services Case Study: Investigating Volume Crime Half of all scenes attended and one third of cases analysed (by Forensic Services) relate to volume crimes of dishonesty such as housebreakings and vehicle crime. The Forensic Services’ Crime Scene to Court model ensures that a responsive attendance is delivered for local crime; making the best use of resources through national systems and centralised specialisms which deliver effective outcomes to the criminal justice system. (see pg.30)
4. Scotland’s DNA24/GlobalFiler technology looks at 24 areas of a person’s DNA – more than the 11 areas that made up previous DNA profiling technology and an advance on the 17 areas which is the European standard.
5. STRmix™ is expert forensic software that can resolve previously unresolvable mixed DNA profiles. Developed by global leaders in the field, it uses a fully continuous approach for DNA profile interpretation, resolving complex DNA mixtures worldwide. 29 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
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Proficiency categories are often based CASE STUDY: on traditional craft guild terminology (e.g. Investigation of Major Crime novice, initiate, apprentice, journeyman, expert, and master) and analysis of The Crime Scene to Court model is used proficiency levels displays a more process throughout Forensic Services business, focused approach in terms of knowledge, and can also be evidenced through its skills, and reasoning style, than performance approach to major investigations and serious outcome alone. crimes. The establishment of the Scottish Crime Campus (SCC) has afforded an This research has now developed a increasing role for Forensic Services to proficiency scale and training tool which will play in the investigatory phase of multi- be integrated into forensic services current agency operations. Forensics can engage training and development framework during with criminal justice and law enforcement 2017/18. This will increase SPA Forensic agencies at an early stage to provide Service’s understanding of the different valuable intelligence and evidential findings levels of reasoning and knowledge that contributing to the direction and resolution underpin effective decision making in scene of long-running and complex investigations examination. into major crime. (see pg.31) Dr Victoria Morton, Head of Scene Examination in Forensic Services, stated: Forensic Services: Professional “Additionally, [the proficiency scale] will aid Judgement Decision-Making and in the design of systems and structures Development of a Proficiency Scale in to effectively evaluate and develop high Scene Examination proficiency. By refining how we train and develop our people, there will be both internal Collaboration between Forensic Services, and external benefits to our scene examination University of Edinburgh, University of service provision in Scotland”. Central Lancashire and SIPR progressed, building on previous research on accelerating This work is reflective of the increasing levels Professional Judgement Decision Making of interest in human factors implications (PJDM) expertise in scene examination. in forensic science in recent years. The partnership between the academic and Proficiency scaling is the attempt to forge a service delivery communities represents domain and organisation-appropriate scale a unique opportunity to develop the for distinguishing levels of proficiency. An conditions necessary for enhancing scene important benefit of proficiency scaling is examination performance, and therefore to provide a clear and valid structure to the enhancing delivery to criminal justice nature of expertise, which can act to drive partners. the focus and activities for improvement.
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Our Focus for the Future - Tom Nelson, Director of Forensic Services “In addition to the changing environment and requirements for forensic science, as with all of the public sector and particularly policing, Forensic Services must provide value for money to the taxpayers in Scotland. There is no doubt Forensic Science can deliver real, tangible benefits to the end–to-end criminal justice process, but this is predicated on the requirement to deliver faster outcomes within the investigative process and to ensure that quality is fit for purpose and the techniques are available and accessible at the right time in the investigative and evidential process. However, any forensic service is only as good as the people it attracts to work for it. So in the future we want to ensure our investment is placed where we can retain the majority of our talent. In a world of increasing specialisation, we need to concentrate and build on existing centres of excellence and expertise. And, in a period when the pressure on the public purse is growing, we need to ensure that what we do achieves the most with the least impact on the taxpayer. Real and significant financial savings can be made within the criminal justice process through the investment in quick, quality forensic science. As Police Scotland and the SPA progress Policing 2026, we in Forensic Services must ensure that we continue to invest in our people, improve our management of the Forensic Gateway and evolve our service to support the changing needs of policing”.
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Policing 4 Delivery
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4.0 Policing Delivery
This main section of the Annual Review of Policing focusses on Police Scotland’s performance in relation to delivering against its priorities and commitments set out in the Annual Police Plan 2016/17.
An extensive number of good examples In terms of tackling community violence, are presented of the joint working between disorder and antisocial behaviour, additional national specialist units and local policing evidence will be required to be developed delivery teams, along with national and local on the operational and wider benefits partners, on issues such as domestic abuse, of more routine, day-to-day flexible human trafficking, forensic accountancy, deployment of resources nationally and how cybercrime, counter terrorism and this is meeting local needs and demands. radicalisation, major events policing, missing This is an especially important area for persons, child sexual abuse and road safety. future SPA assurance given that significant A large number of initiatives remain under reductions in violent crime experienced in way, which is evidence of Police Scotland’s the first half of this decade have not been commitment to being innovative and sustained in the last two years. pioneering and it is encouraging that Police Scotland is increasingly engaged with the Finally, it is also recognised that an early academic community to evaluate initiatives priority for Police Scotland at its inception so that ‘what works’ can be up-scaled and in 2013 was to maintain frontline delivery mainstreamed across the organisation. and move quickly towards amalgamating Indeed, engagement with the academic operational policing structures to ensure they research community was especially strong were fit for purpose in operating as a single during 2016/17 in a number of areas, and national service. A significant opportunity there are signs that a culture of evidence and over the coming years will be to transform evaluation-informed policing is beginning to corporate support services so that it most take hold. However more work is needed effectively supports operational policing to build on this improving picture. The SPA delivery and does so in an efficient and will expect this momentum to carry forward cost-effective way, supported by appropriate over the coming years, as ‘becoming a national ICT systems and resourced with learning organisation’ and an organisation sufficient and sustainable capacity and that innovates and continuously improves is capability. The disappointment of non- an ambition at the heart of Policing 2026. delivery of the i6 programme is keenly felt and has resulted in a delay in achieving Moving forward, the SPA would like to see those productivity gains the programme a strengthening of case-study performance was designed to deliver. Therefore ICT evidence, particularly in relation to the progress is a key priority set out in Policing impact that multi-agency activity, at a national 2026 and the SPA will prioritise assurance, and local level, is having on crime and harm oversight and decision-making to enable this reduction, public safety and wellbeing, and improvement to policing. public confidence and satisfaction. 35 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
4.1 Public Confidence – A Key Measure for Policing
Maintaining and building public confidence is central to the delivery of policing services in Scotland and will be a key measure of success for Policing 2026. There is recognition that the assessment of public confidence requires a wider reach, listening to many more voices, whilst making use of a broader range of information, views and data. The SPA will therefore be promoting, as a priority over the first period of transformational change (2017-2020), an improved approach across policing to surveying and measuring public confidence, understanding better variations in public confidence and establishing more detail on influencing factors. What can be said is that by any standards, public confidence in policing can be a nebulous and somewhat fluid concept, sensitive to a range of influences, many of which are external to police services.
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Police Scotland currently utilises a monthly For future public confidence assessment, in-house User Satisfaction Survey, asking Police Scotland will consider the SCJS as an people who contacted the police whether independent baseline measure alongside they have confidence in the police as a its own User Satisfaction Survey. The most result of this contact. At the end of 2016/17 recent results from 2014/15 (the survey public confidence levels reported by Police used to be carried out every two years but Scotland were 81%. has now become annual) indicated that the majority of SCJS respondents thought that As part of the work to expand the evidence- the police were doing a good or excellent base for public confidence, Police Scotland job in their local area, however this had utilises findings from the annual Scottish fallen slightly from 61% in 2012/13 to 58% in Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) carried out 2014/15. by the Scottish Government. This survey collects data using a systematic random In 2017, Police Scotland launched a Public sample of adults in private households and Confidence Steering Group, the inaugural produces results that are representative of meeting of which took place in March the Scottish adult population and comparable with broad representation from across the over time. The SCJS provides data on a service, supported by external membership range of topics including; and expertise including SIPR. Short-term actions include confirmation of reporting • Confidence in the police; measures on confidence and satisfaction for • Risk of crime; 2017/18, as well as a situational assessment of confidence and satisfaction in policing. This • Worry about different crime types; and will lead naturally into medium and longer term actions, including research and piloting • Perception of the national and local of initiatives being undertaken by Steering crime rates. Group members in line with their respective business areas.
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DEMANDS ON POLICING6 RECORDED CRIME DURING 2016/17 2.6 million calls 2.4% decrease 7,244 every day 1.1% increase in total crime – 1.6 million recorded incidents 2.5% increase many of the most time consuming relate to concerns for person, missing persons and 238,651 dealing with sudden deaths. crimes 84 people Are reported missing every day.
6. All data are management information not official statistics. All data are sourced from Police Scotland internal systems and are correct as at date of publication.
TRENDS
The decrease is driven The increase is driven The increase is driven by reductions crimes of by increases in Serious by an increase in sexual dishonesty, fire-raising, Assaults, Robberies, assaults and threats vandalism and other crimes, Threats and Extortion. and extortion with a mainly through reductions sexual element. in housebreaking, motor 30% of sexual crime is vehicle crime, vandalism and 5.2% non-recent. drugs-related crimes. increase in Sexual Crime – 1.2% increase in Domestic Abuse – 0.6% decrease in 10,822 crimes overall Violent Crime – 58,408 incidents recorded – 63,548 crimes 160 every day 5.2% increase in Non-sexual Crimes of 7.3% decrease in Violence – domestic housebreaking – 7,164 crimes 8,169 crimes 38 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
4.2 Violence, Disorder and Antisocial Behaviour
The prevalence of violence within society, Annual Police Plan 2016/17 well known to blight the lives of people Commitments and communities across Scotland, is a key factor influencing the fear of crime and also • Reduce public space violence, disorder places a significant economic burden and and antisocial behaviour through effective strain on public services, policing included. deployment of our resources. Tackling its effects, preventing it from happening in the first place, and focusing on • Reduce the harm caused by private space the specific thematic issues such as domestic violence, disorder and antisocial behaviour. abuse, private-space violence and tackling reoffending behaviour, continues to be a • Reduce the harm caused by leading priority for Police Scotland and its domestic abuse. partners across the wider criminal justice • Collaborate with staff and partners to arena, as well as in public health, social care support the development of evidence and education. Major events also attract based policing. the risk of violence, disorder and antisocial behaviour and Police Scotland continues to demonstrate evidence of effective national planning, preparation, coordination and protective response in relation to the significant number of major events taking place each year, including high-profile football matches (see the section on Major Events policing in this Annual Review).
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During 2016/17 further evidence was gathered and assessed, at both a national and local level, of improved collaborative working and the introduction of new prevention models designed to ensure greater ability to deliver on both national and local policing priorities. As well as more effective ways to deploy scarce policing resources, Police Scotland strengthened its collaborative engagement with academics to identify the causes of violence and better understand the factors which may lie behind the slowdown in recorded violent crime reductions across the country. Police Scotland is drawing wherever possible on research findings to support the development of its national, regional and local violence protection and prevention activity and will coordinate the organisational strategic response through the work of the newly-established National Violence Prevention Board, which includes strong links to public health and representation from the National Violence Reduction Unit.
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4.3 Prevent First
Ayrshire Division introduced Prevention First in 2014, drawing on many of the principles internationally recognised as best practice from New Zealand Police’s Prevention First Strategy. In Ayrshire, the approach was adapted to give greater emphasis to preventative policing driven in a partnership context, to improve local policing delivery and outcomes.
Prevention First – Stopping Crime So what? before it Happens Much success was achieved in North Prevention First asserts that ‘crime is Ayrshire which led to a subsequent roll out preventable, not inevitable’ and the of the initiative to East and South Ayrshire. programme aims to: In particular, call volumes relating to violence in North Ayrshire saw a drop of 6.2% over • Prevent crime and incidents from a two year period from inception in 2014, occurring in the first place to 2016. Due to its success, Prevention First • Prevent/Reduce victimisation and now forms part of a new Locality Policing model introduced in April, 2016. • Reduce locations where offending What Next? takes place SIPR is carrying out an evaluation of the Who else is involved? initiative to assess its effectiveness, efficiency Having an ingrained collaborative approach and viability. This evaluation is expected to through Prevention First is a key benefit in conclude in June, 2017. that it ensures partnership working is more effective and better outcomes are achieved. Partnership involvement ranges from housing associations, fire service and social work, to education, health and community learning and community safety teams. There is continuous dialogue among partners and a daily scrutiny and early interventions of highlighted cases.
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Tackling Public Space Violence and What Causes Increased Antisocial Behaviour - National Violence? Approach, Local Solutions In collaboration with Manchester Even with planned events there will be a Metropolitan University and other policing degree of the unknown that policing must be partners, research is being undertaken into alert, and respond to – as was the case with the mediating role of alcohol availability, the pitch invasion of the Scottish Cup Final in affordability and culture upon crime and May 2016. public disorder. The research is expected to deliver significant advancement to the Greater Glasgow Division international evidence base, distinguishing between crimes taking place in commercial, The SFA Scottish Cup Final between residential and domestic settings and Hibernian and Rangers at Hampden, considering the influence of alcohol upon Glasgow on Saturday 21 May 2016 involved low level, but high volume, public disorder. considerable planning and resources, Ultimately, the research will provide the including public order officers from the first international integrated study of these North, East and West regional commands. phenomena. Following the final whistle, a large pitch invasion occurred, with a number of What next? A proposal to undertake a violent incidents occurring. The subsequent detailed survey of specific determinants in investigation - Operation Tonish- to identify 2018/19 is also being progressed. those responsible has been extensive:
• An incident room was set up at Govan Police Office, capturing all CCTV, television and social media footage.
• 574 suspect profiles were created and intelligence requirements were disseminated to all Divisions, and the UK Football Policing Unit.
• A dedicated mailbox was created to allow members of the public to submit footage, and permission was granted by the Crown Office to release still images of suspects to the media.
• Both Hibernian and Rangers Football Clubs cooperated fully with the investigation.
• A series of 18 pre-planned days of action were carried out, with 183 arrests so far. 42 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
• Results on conviction so far include; Fines Action against Antisocial Behaviour (£26,727), Community Payback Orders (4,835 hours), Football Banning Orders A group of youths and tenants in Dumfries (59), Restriction of Liberty Orders (9) and and Galloway were identified as causing Prison Sentences (4). disorder to the local area. Using intelligence gleaned across relevant local partners, • 70 cases are still proceeding through the several enforcement actions were taken, courts, with suspect booklets allocated to including the issuing of warning letters East and West Football Units as part of the to problem tenants with a number of ongoing identification process. evictions following and removal of ineffective Compulsory Supervision Orders (CSO) from some youths. These actions provided Local Examples: Dealing with relief to the community and sent a strong Disorder and Disruption message of unity to offenders. Some of the youths have not re-offended since the lifting In response to reports of concern from of the CSO. the public, an initiative was carried out in June, 2016 in the Kings Park area of Stirling, to target youth disorder and disruption in the area, which included minor assaults. A coordinated response was provided with local partners which saw patrols carried out and mobile CCTV cameras deployed to deter and assist in detecting crime. School based officers were also key to identifying some of the culprits from CCTV evidence. This collaborative approach saw a reduction in complaints and levels of disorder registered throughout the summer school holiday period. The use of social and local media was key in communicating messages to the public on policing activity and the arrests made as well as to offer reassurance. This work was acknowledged at the Public Safety Committee Meeting in August 2016.
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4.4 Reducing Offending – 12-25 Years Workstream
The single service provided the opportunity for greater sharing of good practice to be applied on a wider basis, and more crucially for consistency of approach across Scotland. From a collaborative working perspective, it was anticipated that the establishment of Police Scotland would provide for more effective partnership working on interventions, through the adoption of a corporate approach to address local and national priorities, as well as exerting a greater influence on practical joint interventions across a range of localised community safety partners.
The single service provided the opportunity IB2: Greater ability to deliver Local for greater sharing of good practice to Community and Policing Priorities; be applied on a wider basis, and more crucially for consistency of approach across IB3: Improved collaborative working with Scotland. From a collaborative working partners; perspective, it was anticipated that the IB10: Better targeted investment; and establishment of Police Scotland would provide for more effective partnership OB1: More effective partnership working. working on interventions, through the Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division adoption of a corporate approach to (SCD) National Safer Communities now address local and national priorities, as well lead the development and on-going support as exerting a greater influence on practical of crime prevention and disruption activity, joint interventions across a range of localised and delivers against policing priorities in community safety partners. Progress on this a number of areas of crime prevention. aspiration was measured and evidenced A range of tactical options are routinely by a reporting framework consisting of a deployed in partnership across Scotland to number of Intermediate Benefit (IB) and tackle, for example, youth offending. These Operational Benefit (OB) measures which are initiated via national themes such as No in turn demonstrate progress in the delivery Knives - Better Lives and a number of more of police reform. The work described in this locally based partner forums such as Youth document directly supports the following Strategy Groups, and Local Community elements of that framework; Safety Groups.
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One example of this national work is Police A Coordination Hub, led by Police Scotland, Scotland’s Greater Glasgow Division which offers support to all ‘One Glasgow’ reducing works with the ‘One Glasgow’ partnership offending partners, with a particular focus on to develop more effective intervention identifying need and coordinating support strategies within the ‘Reducing Offending” through enhanced information sharing. 12-25 years’ work stream. This workstream Utilising partnership information, combined supports Glasgow City Council’s Single with analytical products which demonstrate Outcome Agreement (SOA) which in turn the recency, frequency and gravity of contributes to the Scottish Government’s 16 offending behaviour, the Coordination National Outcomes for Scotland. Hub can identify support services that are currently being accessed or offered together The partnership is supported by a range of with any other suitable interventions that are public sector agencies in Glasgow including available for young people. This approach NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Police highlights the coordination element of Scotland, Glasgow Housing Association, the work stream which aims to reduce Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Jobcentre duplication of services. This ensures that Plus and the Third Sector Forum. The any referrals for young people are made to workstream was established to co-ordinate the relevant agencies based on the needs and support the Whole System Approach of young people at that particular time, in Glasgow and to make better use of thereby directly supporting the organisational resources and information-sharing across the objectives of better targeted investment city. The approach works towards all young through the better use of financial and people having their needs met, at each stage other resources by more effective of service provision, in the most effective partnership working. and cost-efficient way possible. The Whole System Approach focusses on three main strands: • Early and Effective Intervention – to reduce referrals to the Children’s Reporter.
• Diversion from Prosecution – to keep young people away from criminal justice processes.
• Re-integration and Transition – supporting young people in secure care or custody in planning for their re-integration into the community.
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An additional strand of One Glasgow’s IMPACT Outcomes work was developed over 2015/16 and 2016/17 to strengthen Public and Third Includem’s IMPACT project was the Sector engagement to rally and leverage subject of an independent evaluation by the resources around the reducing offending Dartington Social Research Unit between (12-25) agenda. With a constantly changing 2013 and 2015 with a final report published landscape of providers, it can be difficult for in 2016. Dartington’s research looked at the partners and other organisations / agencies, model of intervention, outcomes achieved to know ‘who is out there’ and where the and included a social and economic cost potential is to link up with others to create analysis from analytical services from the more efficient, effective, streamlined, ways Scottish Government. of working, bringing services together around The headline findings were that total incident the needs of young people involved in the of crime per young person fell by 50% on justice system. In view of this, One Glasgow average in the six months after involvement hosted two events ‘Let’s Get Talking’ (2016) with Includem, with the social and economic and ‘Let’s Get Working Together’ (2017). costs of violent offending falling from £10,259 More than 200 new, positive connections per young person before involvement were made between participants (two new to £122 after involvement. Utilising data connections per organisation who attended), from the NHS, it was found that the total with the commitment to explore further, number of injuries involving A&E attendance how they could work together, pooling decreased by 38%. resources, skills and knowledge. One Glasgow Outcomes One project which has benefited from Police Scotland’s involvement in this collaborative Since the baseline year overall offending working framework is the IMPACT project, by under 25’s has reduced by 15.6%, an run by Glasgow-based charity Includem. accumulative total of 3,317 less crimes Includem was established in 2000 to address committed. Scottish Government analysis a clear need for intensive support services on the Economic and Social cost of crime to work with Scotland’s most vulnerable has estimated that this reduction equates to young people. A registered charity, Includem around £2.1million of savings in the system works in the community with those young in a three year period 2012/13 – 2015/16. people who are often excluded from more The average prison population for under 25’s mainstream services. The IMPACT project has reduced by 6.9% over the same period. takes referrals directly from Police Scotland Allowing for the 2 year lag in reporting based on offending data and an assessment reconviction rates again the data indicates a of the needs and risks of the young person. positive downward trend: • The number of young people convicted of a crime - reduced 25.7%.
• The number of young people re-convicted in a one year period - reduced by 29.8%.
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Referrals to Scottish Children’s Reporter Police Scotland plays a key role in these Administration give an indication of the examples of partnership working, frequency and gravity of offending by demonstrating the continuing commitment under 18s. Over the three year period the in delivering the identified benefits of data shows that: police reform. This overall approach is widely viewed as an example of good • The number of young people referred is practice and has generated a lot of interest down by 33.8%. from around Scotland. Further work is • The number of offences referred is down under consideration in order to provide by 33.4%. more attributable analysis of the individual initiatives. The following cases illustrate The referral process adopted within typical success stories. the multi-agency Coordination Hub offers an efficient model of working by ensuring resources are targeted to the most appropriate young people in need of intensive support, whilst reducing the potential of duplication of other similar services. Since 2013/14 the number of young people diverted from prosecution has increased from 120 to 208 in 2015/16, an increase of 73%.
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4.5 Case Studies
Reducing Offending in Young People was supported through these by Includem. He completed three months of a focused John: John was 17 years old and was intervention scheme and his offending spending his time on the streets of Glasgow reduced to the stage where he was no at night time with his friends, often under longer offending. the influence of alcohol and drugs. He was frequently coming to the attention of the John also completed cognitive toolkit police for gang related incidents and had modules, specifically, Drugs and Alcohol been charged by the Police for a number Misuse, Education, Training & Employment, of offences, most notably, abduction, Reducing Offending & Risk Taking possession of an offensive weapon, and Behaviour and Anger Management. He breach of the peace. was supported into longer-term, stable accommodation with the assistance of the John was identified by the One Glasgow Social Work Department and the Homeless Reducing Offending Coordination Hub. He Department. appeared to be an aggressive and vulnerable young man leading a chaotic life with drugs John has also engaged with Right Track, and alcohol underpinning his offending a programme which supports vulnerable behaviour. He had no motivation to engage young people into training and employment. in training or employment, nor did he He is now able to recognise the need to have any stable accommodation due to a avoid negative peers and situations and fractured home relationship with his parents. is looking forward to a college course where he is hoping to gain new skills to Following discussion with the One Glasgow gain employment; which will have a more Reducing Offending Coordination Hub, positive influence on his life. John was referred to Includem. Includem was established in 2000 to address a clear need for intensive support services to work with Scotland’s most vulnerable young people. A registered charity, Includem works in the community with those young people who are often excluded from more mainstream services. A joint home visit was carried out by Includem and Police Officers from the One Glasgow Reducing Offending Coordination Hub during which the service was introduced and offered to John. A support plan was implemented for John in conjunction with Social Work Services and Includem based on the areas John believed he needed support. He engaged well with the service and through enhanced information sharing practices between One Glasgow and Includem, future court appearances were identified and he 48 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
Mickey: Mickey was 19 years old when Mickey has a better understanding of his he was referred to Includem for violent responsibilities within the community and offending. He had been charged with has remained motivated to avoid further possession of a bladed weapon and was offending. His alcohol use has become more facing a custodial sentence. Mickey was very socially orientated around family events or anxious about the potential outcomes of his nights out with friends and is not to excess. charge and was motivated to change. He had Mickey now feels more respected by his recently secured employment that required family and community and has sustained his him to work out with Glasgow, Monday – employment and is seeking promotion. Friday. Includem meetings were planned around his employment requirements and While Mickey still had the court case took place on Friday evenings and outstanding for the possession of a bladed the weekends. weapon, a report was provided to his lawyer by Includem, reviewing the work he has Much of Mickey’s offending had been linked undertaken and the positive progress he to his alcohol misuse. He also had a number has made. of charges for cannabis possession and resisting arrest. Includem’s structured “A Better Life” modules were used to explore Mickey’s offending. Mickey gained a greater understanding of the risks he faced as a result of his alcohol use and peer relationships. Mickey committed to avoiding these relationships and to sustaining this change. Mickey was also encouraged to consider the basis and impact of his negative attitudes towards the police. Written exercises were completed according to Mickey’s learning style which promoted changes in these attitudes. Mickey’s parents were separated but both very supportive of Mickey’s involvement with Includem. He was encouraged to maintain his employment as it was recognised by all to be a protective factor for him as well as providing positive opportunities for his future. Mickey used the 24/7 Includem helpline to liaise with workers about court dates, lawyer appointments and changes to his work schedule. At the point of his discharge from Includem, and after eight months of intervention, there has been no further offending. 49 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
4.6 Hate Crime and Community Cohesion
The incidence of hate crime spans the length and breadth of Scotland with perpetrators often targeting individuals from a particular social and demographic group, with protected characteristics. Attacks are often motivated by intolerance and prejudice and a willingness to take advantage of what perpetrators perceive as being vulnerability on the part of their victims. Hate crimes can include abuse which is verbal and/or physical in nature and can result in devastating consequences for the victim, often with a ripple effect throughout the wider community.
It is recognised that underreporting remains an issue across all types of hate crime. This can often relate to low level antisocial behaviour, verbal abuse and harassment, which are endemic in the lives of victims and often considered by them to be too frequent or ‘trivial’ to report to criminal justice agencies. At a national and local level, and both strategically and operationally, Police Scotland has continued to work with a diverse range of partners and community groups in the Third Sector to protect communities from becoming victims of hate crime and improving the response to incidents of hate crime. Victims and witnesses are encouraged to report any incidents and a prevention message is conveyed to would- be perpetrators, letting them know any such behaviour will not be tolerated.
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At a strategic and operational level, Police Building Trust and Increasing Scotland has continued to work with a Reporting of Hate Crime diverse range of partners and community groups in the Third Sector to protect Increased community engagement following communities from becoming victims of the Paris terrorist attack in November hate crime, and improving the response 2015 highlighted an alarming increase in to incidents of hate crime. Victims are the frequency and severity of attacks, both encouraged to report any incidents and a verbal and physical, on Muslim women and prevention message is conveyed to would- children in Edinburgh Division. Many were be perpetrators letting them know any such scared to leave their home addresses and behaviour will not be tolerated. were considering not wearing the hijab and other associated items for fear of being Tackling Hate Crime through recognised as Muslim. There was also an Awareness apparent lack of trust in Police, and under- Police Scotland supported Hate Crime reporting was a key concern. Awareness Week in October 2016. The Community Improvement Partnership purpose of the week was to raise awareness initiatives were undertaken with three clear of what hate crime is and how to respond priorities: Community Engagement and to it, encourage reporting, and let victims Reassurance; Prevention; Intervention and know about local support services and Enforcement. This included a “Shared Vision resources. A police-led hate crime campaign Your Decision” Participatory Budgeting was also delivered in March 2017, with initiative, which enables local people to extensive engagement with all communities, decide how public money should be spent utilising various forms of media to highlight to eradicate Islamophobia and associated the effects of hate crime and reinforcing the prejudice behaviour across Edinburgh. message that hate crime will not be tolerated Partnership funding was secured and the in Scotland. initiative was delivered by a multi-faith steering group. Fifty applications were received which showed the desire across the city to tackle this issue. The voting period was officially opened with a marketplace event held in the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, attended by around 200 members of the public. In total 2553 votes were received. The project which received the most votes was ‘Kids in the Street - One Team, Many Cultures, One Goal - raising awareness of the true meaning of faith through football, fun, food and learning’. Initial feedback has been positive and the project is now subject to evaluation.
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Promoting Public Engagement Action to Tackle Bigotry and Community Cohesion with Partners The Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division In July 2016, Lanarkshire Division received developed ‘Exercise Agora Archway’ to the ‘Champions for Change’ Award, enhance understanding of community presented by anti-sectarianism charity cohesion within the division. The project has Nil by Mouth, recognising the efforts received support from the outset, from the of organisations who tackle bigotry Universities of the West of Scotland, East and demonstrate that it has no place in London and Sussex in terms of the project’s Scotland. Every new officer joining the design and evaluation. Support towards the division, including Police Scotland Youth project is also provided by the Inverclyde Volunteers, receives an input about Grey Space Group, who will participate challenging sectarianism and the force’s alongside a range of local partners. zero-tolerance approach to hate crime, and the preventative, educational work that is What next? It is expected that publishable underway to tackle the issue. Officers have research of mutual benefit to both police engaged with licensed premises in the area and academia will result, leading to to encourage them to join the campaign improvements. against sectarianism and, working with Nil by Mouth, joint workshops were organised in local schools to ensure young people are properly educated about the effects of sectarianism and make the right choice not to engage in this type of behaviour, whether in person or online. Supported by Nil by Mouth, the Scottish Football Association and North Lanarkshire Leisure, Lanarkshire Division organised the inaugural ‘Kiss Bigotry Goodbye’ football festival in June 2016, which saw both Catholic and non-denominational schools from across North and South Lanarkshire taking part in a tournament and receiving awareness raising inputs between matches. The event was a great success, educating young people on the issue of sectarianism as well as breaking down barriers in a fun sporting environment.
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CASE STUDY: Raising Improving Response to Awareness and Tackling Disability Hate Crime Disability Hate Crime SIPR is conducting research into a multi- A key engagement activity during the Hate agency three-year operation, ‘Dundee Safe Crime Awareness Week 2016, was a Places Initiative’, launched in September, collaboration with the Charity ‘I Am Me’ to 2015. The initiative is working to develop launch their ‘Cinebus’, a coach transformed ‘Keep Safe’ places across Dundee to offer into a mobile cinema which visits schools safety, reassurance and support to people and communities across Scotland, raising with learning disabilities, and other disabled awareness of disability hate crime and and older people who are lost, scared or encouraging reporting. have experienced a hate incident. This research will assess people’s awareness of At the same time, the national roll out of the initiative and its effectiveness. the ‘Keep Safe’ initiative was also launched. This is a partnership initiative between ‘I Am Me’ and Police Scotland, which aims to help people with a disability, feel safe within their community. The initiative works with a network of local businesses such as shops, libraries and cafes who have agreed to make their premises a ‘Keep Safe’ place for people to go if they feel frightened, distressed or are the victim of crime when out in the community. A ‘Keep Safe’ App has also been launched which allows users to find their nearest ‘Keep Safe’ place. Progress to date - Over 7,000 children and teachers have participated in the Cinebus workshop. Their evaluations revealed that 99% of teachers found the workshop and film effective in raising awareness of bullying and hate crime. Following the workshop, 96% of children would report bullying/hate crime and 99% of teachers thought the workshop highlighted the importance of reporting.
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4.7 Domestic Abuse
The Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Annual Police Plan 2016/17 Scotland (DSDAS) was initiated on October Commitments 1st 2015 and aims to prevent domestic abuse by empowering both men and women with • Reduce the harm caused by the right to ask about the background of their domestic abuse partner, potential partner or someone who is in a relationship with someone they know, and there is a concern that this individual Multi-agency Tasking and the may be abusive. Impact of Disclosure The MATAC and DSDAS not only provide With over 58,000 incidents recorded an effective combination of prevention and during 2016/17, domestic abuse is a enforcement, they present an environment significant policing matter and contains many where members are encouraged to utilise complexities, and as an underreported collectively available resources; including issue, presents a challenge not only for individual skills, knowledge and experience; Police Scotland but also for partner agencies targeting perpetrators and keeping victims across the country. Domestic abuse is, and their families safe. by its very nature, a largely hidden crime, typically occurring behind closed doors, in This work and the examples provided below private, with investigations often surfacing directly support the aims of police reform complex histories of abuse that victims have by contributing to the following Intermediate felt reluctant to bring to the attention of the and Operational Benefits; IB2: Greater police and other agencies. Domestic abuse ability to deliver Local Community and does not discriminate and is suffered by Policing Priorities; many people across Scotland irrespective of their gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age, mobility IB3: Improved collaborative working or socio-economic status. with partners; Working alongside partner agencies, Police IB10: Better targeted investment; and Scotland remains committed to providing OB1: More effective partnership working. protection and support for victims and their families, while proactively targeting those domestic abuse perpetrators who present the greatest risk of harm. The Domestic Abuse Multi-Agency Tasking and Coordination (MATAC) process is a leading example of successful partnership working across the country. The MATAC, while governed by a national framework, is reflective of locally forged partnerships.
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Police Scotland provides a three-tier proactive response to the policing of What is the Impact? domestic abuse incidents across Scotland: There are 13 MATAC groups, one in • Operational Officer Response. each local policing division, and they have collectively targeted almost 2,000 ‘high • Divisional Domestic Abuse Specialists. tariff’ domestic abuse perpetrators across Scotland. Since April 1st 2016 the National • National Domestic Abuse Domestic Abuse Task Force’s cases have Task Force (DATF). resulted in 28 perpetrators being convicted The strategic approach consists of three and sentenced to a total of 122 years main strands of intervention activity: imprisonment. The following case, which is in the public domain, illustrates just one of • Early identification of domestic abuse the successes achieved by the group. perpetrators who present the greatest risk of harm to victims and their families. Mark Boucher, a serial domestic abuse perpetrator, was referred to the DATF • Effective partnership working with key North via the divisional MATAC. DATF stakeholders. officers traced and proactively approached ten partners, four of whom engaged with • Efficient use of intelligence, and robust the investigation and reported numerous enforcement of legislation to maximise stalking offences. On March 31st 2017 he opportunities to target perpetrators. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to: • A Non-Harassment Order for five years for each of his victims.
• A three month Restriction of Liberty Order.
• A Community Payback Order of 230 hours to be completed within six months.
• A three year supervision period.
• A three year conduct requirement.
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An example of the success of the DSDAS Giving Potential process, which is in the public domain, is Victims a Choice below: Since the national rollout of the Disclosure An application submitted through the ‘Right Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland to Ask’ pathway into the DSDAS has, (DSDAS) in October 2015, 1,598 for the first time, resulted in a successful applications for disclosure were made, 827 prosecution. Robert Burke (54 years) from ‘Right to Ask’ and 771 ‘Power to Tell’, with Fife, plead guilty in November 2016 to 739 disclosures delivered. offences including firing a shotgun at a former partner. He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff The scheme aims to provide a way of sharing Court on Wednesday 7 December 2016, information about a partner’s abusive past where he received 190 hours of community with a potential victim. It gives people at risk service. The investigation into Burke began of domestic abuse the information needed when Police Scotland received information to make an informed decision on whether to about him under the ‘Right to Ask’ pathway continue the relationship. of DSDAS. Following this application and the concerns raised, officers carried out ‘Right to Ask’ is open to anyone who a number of enquiries and Burke was has concerns about a new partner’s abusive subsequently charged with offences relating past or has concerns about another person’s to domestic abuse. new partner. An example of this would be a parent concerned about their child’s new partner. ‘Power to Tell’ is when Police Scotland receive information or intelligence about the safety of a person who may be at risk. During 2016/17 the scheme resulted in a first-time successful prosecution and subsequent conviction. There is consensus within Police Scotland that DSDAS operates effectively (an early evaluation of the initial pilot for DSDAS confirmed this), however the next step will be to better understand the impact of DSDAS on those who have asked or been told, so that the value of DSDAS in tackling domestic abuse and improving public confidence and trust can be more fully appreciated.
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The long-term aim is to develop a The Power of Partnership - Preventative Strategy to ensure that A Case Study: immigrant women entering the country on a spouse visa are made fully aware of Prize-winning SIPR research7 focused on the their rights. They will be provided with impact of the UK Spouse Visa Immigration information in relation to the protection Rules upon immigrant women living in afforded to them in law by the police and Scotland experiencing domestic abuse. With other agencies in terms of domestic abuse. no legal status or citizenship rights upon entry to the UK, an immigrant woman As a result of this research a suite of obtains her immigration status through her awareness products is currently being husband and his citizenship rights status. designed; During this period women are denied access Briefing for airport-based officers in relation to public funds. The findings identified that to research findings the difficulties imposed by the insecure immigration status of the women, with no Opportunities for South Asian immigrant recourse to public funds, prevented them women to complete an anonymised survey from leaving an abusive relationship. about their health and wellbeing Where cultural differences and language An information leaflet and credit card sized barriers exist, where there is a lack of information card on domestic abuse and access to information and knowledge of available help, support and protection from services, and an inequality of legal rights, Police Scotland and other agencies it is unsurprising that immigrant women To advance the policing priorities of become invisible within mainstream society inclusion, prevention, protection and and are hidden from those organisations that response, it is critical that the policing exist to protect women from violence and requirements of different communities mistreatment. Crucially the research findings are understood, and that policing adapts identified that the role of the police was its approach in a way that maximises the misrepresented by the perpetrators. The effectiveness and relevance of the support women were told that if they contacted the and protection that can be offered in order police for assistance, the police had powers to promote confidence and trust. to have them deported as a consequence of their insecure immigration status. “…. whilst the proposal initially considered women entering Scotland on spouse visas, The research prize included an opportunity the majority of women who enter the UK on to work with the police to develop both this such visas and experience domestic or familial research and the police response to South abuse, enter through various ports across the Asian immigrant women living in Scotland UK. As such, it is believed the proposal has experiencing domestic abuse. A partnership the potential to positively impact on a national approach was adopted involving academics, scale.” Police Scotland the Domestic Abuse Task Force and the Border Policing Command based at 7. “South Asian immigrant women, domestic abuse and the police” Glasgow Airport. Elaine McLaughlin (Glasgow Caledonian University) - Winner of the inaugural SIPR / Police Scotland Postgraduate Student Award in 2015. 57 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
4.8 Serious Organised Crime
During 2016/17 Police Scotland continued Annual Police Plan 2016/17 to work with a range of partners across Commitments Scotland to tackle and prevent harm from serious organised crime. Organised crime • Prevent harm caused by serious groups are active across many sections of organised crime. Scotland’s communities, heavily involved in the supply of drugs, and often use • Prevent harm caused by Serious Scotland’s roads infrastructure to further Organised Crime Groups by disrupting their continually evolving criminal activities. the sale and supply of controlled drugs and They use otherwise legitimate business New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). enterprises to disguise their illegal practices through money laundering – with many • Prevent harm to our communities such enterprises hidden in plain sight beside by targeting the criminal use of and genuine shops and businesses on local distribution of firearms. streets across Scotland. • Prevent harm by disrupting Serious Increasingly, organised crime is being seen Organised Crime Groups through the use to adapt to traditional methods of police of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and detection and evolve and encompass other other effective legislation. forms of criminality. Involvement in human trafficking and immigration crime, to cyber- • Enhance our understanding and enabled crime, child sexual exploitation, response to cyber threats and internet new psychoactive substances, and complex enabled crime. forms of fraud are all areas where organised crime is being seen to establish an interest in. These in turn pose a challenge to the police in developing the means to both identify and respond to such new types of crime. The SPA saw examples of Operation Jackal’s innovative approach to financial intelligence during 2016/17, the work of the National Human Trafficking Unit to identify the criminals who profit from their victims and the establishment of a national cyber-crime unit. These developments provide assurance that Police Scotland remains committed to tackling organised crime, and pro-actively enhancing its capability to do so.
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Disrupting the supply of Controlled Drugs and New Psychoactive Local Highlights: Substances (NPS) • Joint working involving officers from Serious Organised Crime groups are Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division involved at all levels of this lucrative criminal and the Organised Crime and Counter trade with policing activity directed locally, Terrorism Unit resulted in a significant nationally and internationally. In May seizure of NPS in Paisley. Over two million 2016, the Psychoactive Substances Act tablets, believed to be Etizolam with an (2016), came into being, complementing estimated street value of over £2 million, the existing Misuse of Drugs Act (1971). were recovered following a search under The new legislation introduced specific warrant of industrial premises during charges relating to substances intended for which manufacturing equipment was also human consumption, capable of producing recovered. Associated searches carried out a psychoactive effect, with a maximum under warrant at addresses in Paisley and sentence for production or supply of seven Johnstone resulted in the arrest and charge years imprisonment. of three individuals for offences under the New Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
• A large scale operation in Lothians and Scottish Borders, involving over 90 officers and staff, partners and the media was undertaken. Uniformed and plain clothed officers executed a series of warrants which resulted in a significant number of arrests and persons reported for drugs offences. Other offences included theft of electricity, disqualified & dangerous driving, possession of an offensive weapon, a firearms offence, police assault and breach of domestic and antisocial behaviour bail conditions. Three people are currently on remand and a further was bailed not to enter Scotland. So far four people have received custodial sentences and there have been two successful evictions by East Lothian and Midlothian Council. In total over £27,000 cash and over £110,000 worth of controlled drugs have been seized.
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Targeting the Criminal Use and Distribution of Firearms Highlights: The Armed Policing Monitoring Group is the • Coordinated use of intelligence resulted strategic Police Scotland forum that monitors in significant disruption activity in January and assesses the threat from Firearms in 2017. Officers from the Organised Crime Scotland. The output documentation from and Counter Terrorism Unit carried out this group informs the NCA allowing for searches at a variety of locations across the consideration within the overall threat central belt of Scotland. These searches assessment for the United Kingdom. resulted in the recovery of a significant In addition, the multi-agency Scottish quantity of firearms, an explosive device Criminal Use Of Firearms Group provides and in excess of £1.5 million in cash. Four the strategic response to the criminal people with significant links to serious acquisition, distribution and use of firearms organised crime groups were arrested in Scotland. Through collaborative work and charged with a variety of firearms and with the NCA, high level responsibilities serious organised crime offences. and strategic intelligence requirements have been identified to tackle the criminal use • During the early hours of 10 February of firearms across the UK. Similarly Police 2017, a 46 year old man was assaulted and Scotland’s work with NaBIS and the Forensic robbed of a significant quantity of money Services has matured significantly since the at gun point within his home address in inception of Police Scotland, to such an Ecclefechan. The victim’s 11 year old child extent our processes are viewed as ‘best was within the house at the time the crime practice’ nationwide. It is assessed that was committed. An early identification more than half of SOCGs in Scotland of the vehicle used to get away from the have access to firearms, with threat and incident resulted in the identification of intimidation being the most frequent reason potential offenders. Multiple addresses for their use.” were searched under warrant and the perpetrators apprehended. Two illegal firearms, an air-rifle and a handgun, plus supply amounts of controlled drugs were recovered from the addresses. Two of the suspects were remanded in custody.
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FORENSIC ACCOUNTANCY - THREE BENEFITS OF THE JACKAL HITTING ORGANISED CRIME APPROACH WHERE IT HURTS 1. Value in understanding the criminal The Importance of Forensic business process in investigating all Accountancy and Project Jackal in kinds of crime where there is a profit Breaking the Spine of Organised motive: Crime Operation Wolfberry was a human The nature of organised crime activity in trafficking enquiry which led to convictions Scotland, as is the case elsewhere, continues for individuals who had exploited women to evolve in a nuanced way and it is essential from Brazil brought into Scotland for the for modern policing services to keep pace purpose of selling sexual services. The with this evolution and diversification. This Jackal matrix was used as a means for is recognised in Scottish Government’s new placing the business model used by the Strategic Police Priorities, where adaptability perpetrators into evidence, making plain is identified as a key strategic priority. Policing that this was a worked-out business model 2026 is also grounded in an awareness of designed to earn illegal profits. The ability evolving criminality and the requirement to to understand the criminal business model ensure that police services are sufficiently in an investigation provides an improved future-proofed in terms of capability and basis for ensuring that efficiency of effort in capacity to respond and adapt to the each investigation is maximised. Available changing nature and complexity of demands options and opportunities are made clearer, on the service. leading to more efficient deployment of finite specialist resources. The approach ensures Since the launch of Project Jackal in 2014, that clear achievable objectives can be both the quality and quantity of financial identified at an early stage in terms of arrests intelligence in the fight against organised and convictions as well as confiscations, crime has continued to improve. What used asset recoveries and disruptive interventions. to be a weakness is now an area of strength Operation Colima is a similar case where for Scottish policing, as the Jackal approach this approach was used. The operation and supports many successful investigations and its recent result is highlighted:- subsequent prosecutions. Improving delivery of specialist resources to be utilised across the country is a key benefit of reform – and the forensic approach to managing and using financial information and knowledge again came to the fore during 2016/17.
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CASE STUDY: CASE STUDY: Operation COLIMA The role of professional “enablers” In April 2017, Emil Wakulicz pleaded guilty has become a focus of attention in the to charges linked to living off immoral fight against Serious Organised Crime. earnings. The evidence provided exposed This case, already in the public domain, the business model he used to exploit Polish provides a tangible example of the negative women - providing sexual services across consequences of an accountant who thought a number of UK locations behind a front of he could shield questionable activity by massage services. This evidence included a means of his professional expertise. It is a Jackal analysis of the business model which salutary lesson that is being used to policing detailed the marketing, finance and business advantage in future interventions initiatives methods used. This business model enabled targeted at such professionals. Wakulicz to accumulate a portfolio of John DEVLIN was excluded from Scottish properties, largely funded through membership of the Institute of Chartered this illegal activity. A report detailing the Accountants of Scotland in December tracing of funds to the criminal source was 2016 as a result of evidence supplied by also provided. Representations were made Police Scotland Forensic Accountancy. to court by Wakulicz’s legal team that this Exclusion is the most serious sanction open forensic accountancy evidence would be to ICAS and means he can no longer call challenged, but this threat evaporated once himself a Chartered Accountant. Operation it was studied and tested by a private sector LINKWOOD was a money laundering firm of specialist forensic accountants. The investigation, uncovering evidence related to accused was sentenced to 29 months’ the way that a Glasgow-based manufacturing custody in May 2017. company was acquired by an individual known to have links with Serious Organised 2. Value of forensic court reporting in Crime. The source of the funding used was providing key evidence in successful of questionable origin, but further enquiry by economic crime prosecutions: the liquidator of the company through which this funding was channelled was deliberately Forensic accountancy court reports have prevented by DEVLIN – despite being in developed into a valued tool for prosecutors, possession of the company accounting file. particularly situations where potentially contentious financial evidence has had the contention taken out of it because of how it is presented in the reports. The aim of such reports is always to provide a piece of evidence that can be understood by the lay person however complex the material.
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3. Influencing UK and international thinking on economic crime and how Highlight: to tackle it: In January 2017, a new online safety training “Thought leadership” is a core activity for programme designed to prevent young forensic accountancy, providing credibility to people from cyber bullying and digital misuse the expert witness function in the context was announced. ‘Be Smart’ forms part of of case work but also contributing to the the Choices for Life Programme, delivered wider reputation of Police Scotland in this by Police Scotland on behalf of the Scottish field. The Jackal methodology, recognised Government. The programme equips as a means of assessing criminal business young people, youth workers and parent models, particularly in the area of serious groups with the tools and knowledge to and organised crime and drug trafficking, enable them to have effective conversations was given prominence in the EU Drug with young people and their peers about Markets Report 2016 published by the online safety. European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) - with further training on Jackal requested by EMCDDA, Highlight: to be delivered in June 2017. High-level On 29 November 2016, a 26 year old international exposure of this approach was female appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff achieved through the “Cross –Border Crime Court in relation to an online ‘Catfish’ scam. Colloquium” - a prestigious international She had created multiple false social media gathering of criminologists which meets profiles of non-existent male doctors and once a year and publishes a range of used them to befriend females and engage influential academic papers. The relevant in sexualised communication with them, paper expanding on the Jackal approach was including on at least one occasion resulting in entitled, ‘How Organised is Organised?” - a female supplying sexual images of herself. due for publication in June 2017. Following joint working with the NHS and the National Medical Council, 12 victims Enhancing our Understanding and were identified across six Police Scotland Response to Cyber Threats and Divisions. Charges included 15 Frauds, Internet Enabled Crime Breach of the Peace, and offences against the Not all police activity is geared towards Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) investigating crime that has occurred. Act 2010. Wherever possible Police Scotland aims to raise awareness and educate the public to avoid becoming on-line victims. Prevention is a clearly defined strategic police priority in Scotland, and enhancing preventative activity in relation to the growing problem of cybercrime is a shared strategic intent for Police Scotland and SPA over the coming decade.
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Outcome - Phase 1 was completed in CASE STUDY: February 2016 delivering a restructured Building capacity and National Cybercrime Unit and delivered in the East; a refurbished East Hub and capability with a National the creation of a National Archive Store Cybercrime Unit including a high- capacity link between East and West data-stores; a new national Child Background - Prior to the formation of Abuse Imaging Database (CAID) and the Police Scotland, Cybercrime Units existed implementation of a new fit-for-purpose in all eight legacy forces with a National national case management system. This has Cybercrime Unit based in the East of produced early business benefits in terms Scotland under the banner of the Scottish of providing a secure and suitable working Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency. Police environment for the East Cybercrime Unit Reform presented a significant opportunity and improved ICT solutions delivering to rationalise the existing provision of digital more efficient and effective service delivery. forensic services across Scotland to deliver Phase 1 has also reduced instances of a more efficient and cost effective service duplication of effort and improved forensic designed to meet the significantly growing gateway management. In addition, improved demand in this area. Between August workflow management and better use of and October 2013 a review of existing resources through an enhanced ability to cybercrime estates, ICT infrastructure, task nationally has increased the capacity, staffing and supervision was undertaken. capability and effectiveness of Police This review highlighted that the then existing Scotland’s Cybercrime Units to conduct cybercrime ICT architecture presented forensic analysis and investigations the force with a significant risk. Over the more speedily. following 15 months the ICT position worsened with significant failures at various sites across the business area. Business Cases for a restructure of both cybercrime policing and the National Cybercrime Technical Strategy were approved in 2015 and will to be achieved over three phases.
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In the year to date, By April 2017, as a result of completing Phase 1, Police Scotland Cybercrime Case Study has introduced a progressive national ICT infrastructure combining new emerging Operation Lattise was the first national technologies within the data-centres that operation in Scotland to target the threat of allows for the storage of significant amounts online child sexual exploitation and abuse of raw data. The introduction of this utilising their new capabilities. From 30th technology has allowed for the delivery May to 15th July 2016 there was a sustained of ‘fibre-to-desktop’ which increases intelligence led operation across Scotland significantly the efficiency and effectiveness that targeted a number of areas including: of the National Cybercrime Unit. This new distribution, sharing and possession of development has allowed the business area images depicting child sexual abuse; victim to increase capacity in service delivery with identification; online grooming of children; a greater throughput of case files, reducing online sexual extortion of children and analysis backlogs of seized computers and live streaming of child sexual abuse. This mobile technologies by as much as 80%. drew together resources from across Police The introduction of common working Scotland, including Cybercrime Units, practices across the country as a result of prevention, investigation, local policing and the delivery of the Child Abuse Image specialist teams. Database (CAID) has standardised The implementation of national approaches and allows for greater victim infrastructure allowed for targeted identification capabilities both across Scotland enforcement and forensic support for and nationally. the duration of the operation. In addition This, coupled with the new Cybercrime the adoption of CAID contributed to the Case management system, has introduced improved forensic process. With the support a ‘cradle- to- grave’ approach to the of the national case management system and management of case files. Police Scotland the use of CAID Cybercrime Forensics were has been identified as a significant able to provide real time updates for frontline contributor to the UK CAID system which investigators which aided the investigations increases in capacity as the system matures. and swift resolution of criminal enquiries. The following case study, highlights the first national application of the enhanced capabilities of the National Cybercrime Unit and is just one example of its ongoing work to identify those individuals and groups who pose a threat to vulnerable members of our communities and to counter those threats.
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The operation has resulted, to date, in 77 Other more ‘front facing’ initiatives are people being arrested and charged; the constantly under development such as the recovery of more than 30 million sexual use of ‘Web Constables’. These are local images; the assessment of over 100,000 community based officers who, supported chat logs; and more than 390 charges by way of training events, regular updates libeled, including: rape; sharing indecent and informative newsletters also deliver images of children; grooming for sexual continuous and up-to-date advice to the purposes; sexual extortion; indecent public and businesses in the prevention communication with children; possession aspects of computer, internet and social of a firearm; bestiality; and drugs offences. media safety. In addition, more than 500 children were identified, aged between 3 and 18 years, who were either victims or potential victims of online predators. These children are now safeguarded.
Police Scotland will continue to treat online child abuse as a priority and ensure there is a continued and developing operational response into online offending following Operation Latisse. The focus will be on the protection of those at risk of harm by means of prevention, early intervention through education initiatives such as ‘Choices for Life. This is an innovative Police Scotland diversionary and educational initiative aimed at raising awareness amongst young people aged 11-18, about the dangers of substance use and misuse in relation to smoking, alcohol, drugs as well as online safety and advice on how to deal with negative peer pressure. It has been designed in conjunction with young people throughout Scotland as well as partners within Young Scot and Health and Education Services.
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4.9 Counter Terrorism
Terrorism, by nature, is intended to affect Annual Police Plan 2016/17 as many people as possible - a tool used by Commitments individuals or groups wishing to impose and promote their beliefs. The delivery of these • Protect communities by reducing and commitments tells us how Police Scotland mitigating the risk and impact of terrorism counters this threat across the country. to Scotland. The evidence also demonstrates that building national capacity, creating access to • Collaborate with national and local specialist support and deploying where most partners in pursuit of those who are intent required, and often alongside partners, is a on committing acts of terrorism. fundamentally important and very tangible benefit of police reform. Multi-agency • Support vulnerable individuals who may partnership-working, including government, be susceptible to radicalisation. emergency services and national agencies, • Deliver a coordinated programme of is the only effective way to deliver a protective security advice and support coherent operational response to terrorism to key stakeholders, businesses and the in Scotland. public. Terrorism, extremism and radicalisation are related issues that the public continue to • Ensure that Police Scotland is fully identify as being of highest concern to them prepared to mitigate the impact on in terms of national policing and security communities of any terrorist incident. issues, and the national single service enables these concerns and prioritisation of these issues to be addressed consistently and timeously.
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Delivering the Message Responding to the Threat In late 2016, a national Local Day of Action In response to the evolving threat was held involving over 500 officers and the changing methodology, Police deployed from 24 briefing hubs throughout Scotland continues to review and adapt its the Force area. High visibility patrols were contingency plans and events protocols. A conducted at key transport hubs, during key part of this review activity is to ensure busy times for both the day and night-time that the learning from incidents such as these economies - with the key message being can inform better ways to mitigate the risks one of reassurance ‘Be alert, not alarmed’. of future attacks.
This was in advance of the UK National In 2016/17 attacks came to Europe, most Counter Terrorism Awareness Week recently to Westminster, London in March and both events used a diverse range 2017. In response to this attack; of engagement activity undertaken in association with partners, reaching officers • Police Scotland deployed four counter- and staff, the public and the business terrorism investigators to support the community. wider UK CT network and key partner agencies (nine Police Scotland officers Police Scotland supported a national already deployed to key seconded roles campaign in March 2017 called “ACT – within the UK CT Network were also Action Counters Terrorism”, focusing on utilised in the operational response) the critical, valuable role that the public can play a part of the partnership approach • Protective security and personal security to defeating terrorism. Remaining vigilant messages were published. is a key weapon in disrupting the terrorist threat, with people encouraged to raise any In addition, ACC Higgins gave the following concerns, however minor they may seem, reassurance; either by telephone, internet or in person. “Police Scotland continues to dynamically review all safety and security plans and operations. An element of this includes ensuring our armed policing and specialist resources are appropriately deployed. We are monitoring the situation closely. I would urge the public to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to the police”.
Working Together
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During 2016/17 Police Scotland contributed to the development of a UK-wide process to deal with large volumes of witnesses who travel to Scotland following a terrorist attack outside Scotland or overseas. This process allows triage of potential witnesses arriving in Scotland at ports of entry and by rail. It allows for considerations around support to witnesses of significant traumatic events. The process was invoked following the Westminster terrorist incident, enabling the identification of potential witnesses from almost 100 inbound flights from London to Scotland per day. As a result a significant witness was traced and provided a statement.
Working with Partners to Prevent Radicalisation Prevent is a key strand of the Government’s UK-wide CONTEST Strategy to counter terrorism and domestic extremism. The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 requires specific agencies including Police Scotland to identify and safeguard those most vulnerable to radicalisation. Police Scotland worked with Local Authorities and specified agencies to deliver Emerging Residual Threat Local Profiles that highlight areas of risk and threat within Scotland’s communities.
Police Scotland’s Safeguarding and CASE STUDY: Vulnerability Team developed a Concerns were raised regarding a young Collaborative Outcomes Learning Tool man’s social media page which displayed (COLT) with Robert Gordon University. photos of him in his bedroom, surrounded COLT is intended to complement and by flags from Extreme Right Wing groups. develop existing Workshop Raising His profile further revealed he has an Awareness of Prevent (WRAP) training. interest in weaponry and firearms. Police This online training enhances the ability of Scotland officers visited him and his mother agency professionals to identify, refer and at home. They were provided with advice safeguard individuals to mitigate against the on Internet safety as part of a support risk and threat of radicalisation. A number of package of interventions. The safeguarding awareness-raising events and seminars were support package is designed to empower also delivered. the vulnerable young man and his family to steer him away from subversive influences and achieve his full potential. A multi-agency team provides this support, including Social Work and NHS psychological services, local policing and the Prevent Delivery Unit.
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4.10 Policing Major Events
Police Scotland invests valuable preparation Annual Police Plan 2016/17 and expertise in order to ensure the Commitments Service’s readiness to deliver major planned events, as well as to respond to major • Ensure a high state of preparedness to incidents. The creation of a national service respond to major incidents. has produced strong evidence since 2013 about the improved capability to plan and • Ensure that policing of events and incidents prepare for major events, and ensure is planned to a national corporate standard specialist resources are readily available that will allow us to effectively manage and across the country to improve the response assess cost recovery. in line with threat, risk and harm. Partnership working proved essential in this area of • Ensure equitable access to resources. specialist policing during 2016/17, with • Establish a national single source of ongoing strengthening and development specialism database that will allow us to of existing relationships and working effectively manage capability and capacity. arrangements. The national approach to major events planning ensures consistency of approach to ensuring best value. To support this approach a National Event Planning Toolkit was introduced and a national cost recovery policy and charging rate matrix - all intended to support recovery of appropriate costs from the organisers of planned events where a police presence is necessary. Work to deliver a national specialism database that enables immediate identification of specialist officers and staff was completed early in the year. The benefits of being able to draw from a centralised pool support the Scottish Police Information Coordination Centre (SPICC) in their work to support divisions as well as at a national level. This was indeed the case as Police Scotland responded to the events of the London terror attack on 22 March 2017.
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MAJOR EVENTS – The Value of Preparation and Planning World War One Centenary Effective planning and preparation for major Commemoration in Orkney events is one of Police Scotland’s leading Tuesday 31 May 2016 was the centenary priorities, and demonstrating this capability is of The Battle of Jutland, the largest WW1 key in building public confidence in policing. commemorative event in the UK during Major Events are any known, planned 2016/17, and considered to be the only activity that: major naval battle of World War One. This • Generates significant immediate and long- was part of the four-year World War One term economic, social and cultural benefits Centenary programme, planned by the UK to the country. government. The event was mainly organised by the • Attracts significant numbers of international Department for Culture, Media and Sport participants and spectators. (DCMS) who have an events company • Has a national profile outside of the region assisting with the organisation of the event. in which it is being run. A number of partners were also involved in the event including Orkney Islands Council, • Generates significant international media the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Navy and coverage in markets of interest for tourism Police Scotland. A Police Scotland command and business opportunities structure and planning team was put in place to develop the relevant plans and to liaise Examples from the recent past include the with the partner organisations prior to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, event which was broadcast live on BBC TV visits from members of the royal family or with other global media interest. other dignitaries, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and T in the Park. More detailed Any large-scale events held in the Orkney examples of this capability evidenced in Islands present a number of logistical issues 2016/17 is highlighted in these case studies: for policing including travel, accommodation, resourcing and security arrangements, featuring in Police Scotland’s plans. One event took place at the Royal Naval Cemetery at Lyness on the Island of Hoy where the German and UK Naval graves from the battle of Jutland are located. 500 guests attended from a wide background including, VIP guests, local community, descendants and Royal Naval personnel.
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RESPONDING TO MAJOR Edinburgh Hogmanay INCIDENTS – Partnership in Practice Edinburgh hosts the largest Hogmanay street party in Scotland, seen as an iconic event National Example: Major throughout the world. This year saw an Incident - Transocean Winner expansion of the ‘Night Afore’ celebrations, including a torchlight procession and music On 8 August 2016, the semi-submersible concert. In preparation for these new drilling platform Transocean Winner events, Police Scotland took part in a multi- broke free from its towing vessel and agency table-top exercise, testing each was grounded at Dalmore on the Isle of strategic, tactical and operational multi- Lewis. This was declared a major incident agency function. Multi-Agency Control due to the potential impact on the local Centre (MACC) training and facilities were environment and community. Three provided to officers. Police Scotland led separate command structures were required the development of security plans and (Pollution Management, Salvage Operation coordinated the handling of the events which and Consequence Management) the multi- went ahead safely and successfully. agency response included Police Scotland, Scottish Government, HM Coastguard, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency The Open – Royal Troon (SEPA), the oil company owner of the The Royal Troon Golf Club hosted the Transocean platform, local authorities and 145th Open between 10 -17 July 2016. salvage operators. This is a high-profile event presenting a The incident was managed successfully with number of challenges for both Ayrshire minimal disruption to the local community. Division and the wider police service. Prior Partnerships were tested and all agencies to the event a dedicated planning team was responded well. Crucially there was a high formed and multi-agency meetings were level of public engagement which ensured held with a range of partners - transport, public confidence was maintained in relation safety and security, contingency, medical, to responses of the various agencies and crowd-marshalling and media. Ian Alexander, authorities. Director of Crowd Management UK Ltd, wrote to the Chief Constable to offer his thanks to Police Scotland’s officers and staff for the professionalism and high levels of service displayed throughout the planning and delivery of the event.
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POLICING RESOURCES DELIVERED CASE STUDY: ACROSS SCOTLAND - Responding Training to Maintain Effectively to Unanticipated Demand Partnership Skillset: NORTH EAST DIVISION: Exercise Running Bear was a ‘Live Play’ exercise for a significant emergency involving In February 2017, Air Support was deployed nuclear material. The scenario was set to assist with the search for a missing 35-year up to test the effectiveness of a multi- old man whose kayak and equipment had agency response to an incident involving been recovered near to Lybster and Buckie. transportation of nuclear material by train. The helicopter crew located the body of a man in the sea 200 metres from the shore The exercise was run in September 2016 at Lybster, remaining on scene to liaise with at Longannet Power Station with a scenario the Shetland Coastguard and the RNLI Wick involving a lorry and train collision resulting in lifeboat crew until the body was recovered a minor leak of radioactive liquid from a flask and conveyed to Wick, where he was later containing nuclear material. identified as the missing person. This exercise tested the response from across the blue-light services, Ministry of Defence Police and Atomic Weapons Establishment. It saw command structures set up with Police Scotland adopting primacy for the incident. Both a tactical and operational command was implemented with Emergency Procedure Advisors being assigned to both. The exercise also afforded an opportunity for Police Scotland Disaster Victim Identification to test their response to the situation, and although they were not part of the initial exercise, the scenario was continued to allow them to train in that environment. The exercise was judged a resounding success. Partnership working and associated interoperability were fully tested and learning points identified and shared. The core objective had been achieved – evidence that all agencies involved would able to respond to a real incident.
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4.11 Protecting People at Risk of Harm
Whilst one of the core functions of Police Annual Police Plan 2016/17 Scotland is to “keep people safe”, there are Commitments some people more deserving of enhanced service delivery and protection based on • Ensuring best practice is used to prevent increased threat, risk and harm. and investigate sexual crime and target This includes children and adults who those who pose the greatest risk of harm; are unable to safeguard themselves, their property or rights. • Continuing to work with partners to provide support to victims and build their Investigating Sexual Crime: confidence to report sexual crimes; Following an increase in the number of • Preventing harm by supporting victims online sexual crimes reported across of Human Trafficking and targeting those Tayside Division a dedicated crime team who abuse, exploit and coerce victims into was formed. The team has investigated in trafficking; excess of 300 crimes, executed over 70 National Online Child Abuse Protection • Investigating the abuse or neglect of search warrants, and made enquiries into children and adults at most risk of harm; offences committed over numerous social media platforms. One inquiry, passed to the • Supporting the Scottish Government’s team by Derbyshire Constabulary, involved national strategy for missing persons. a 17 year old male from Tayside responsible for the prolonged online sexual extortion of a 13 year old female. Enforcement action involved an additional 24 officers to assist with the search of a large family estate. The male was charged with this offence, however examination of his devices identified online sexual extortion of young girls on a global scale. Operation Wethingham was initiated and the crime team worked closely with a number of Police Scotland specialist units, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, and Homeland Security. To date, 28 young girls have been identified, traced and made safe, 9 within the UK, 18 within the USA and 1 in Canada. The male has been subject to 17 charges with more to come and the case is proceeding to High Court.
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The Police Scotland Rape Awareness Reducing the Risk of Those who Campaign ‘We can stop it’ continues Pose a Risk to focus on the issues of consent and through targeting perpetrators it challenges Risk can never be entirely eliminated, behaviours and attitudes. Since its first however Police Scotland works closely launch in October 2015, it has won a with its partners under the Multi Agency Scottish Creative Award for best TV/Cinema Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) to commercial for £20,000 or less. The develop and review robust risk management campaign has been supported by a number plans in order to minimise the risk of of partner agencies including Rape Crisis further sexual offending by Registered Sex Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, ASSIST Offenders. In support of this role, Police and White Ribbon. Scotland actively reviews its service provision to ensure it remains effective. In February 2017, a further four-week campaign was initiated to coincide with the National Offender Management National Sexual Offences Liaison Officer To assist with the management of a number (SOLO) Conference. This latest promotion of Registered Sex Offenders, in November of the campaign saw it being viewed 2016 the force purchased remote monitoring over 721,000 times on Social Media. In software which once installed on an addition 350 adverts were placed in male offender’s devices, enables online activity to washrooms across licensed premises in be remotely monitored and officer time to Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. be more efficiently directed. In support of this, Lanarkshire’s Divisional Rape Investigation Unit (DRIU) ran a ‘festive In addition to the risk assessment training period’ awareness campaign. DRIU staff already in place, Risk Practice training worked closely with the licensing department has been introduced to support the risk to identify problem areas and provided assessment and risk management process. bystander training to licensed premises Feedback from officers involved in a risk staff, taxi drivers and taxi marshals. ‘Party practice pilot which utilises the learning Safe’ advice was provided to members of from this training indicates a more focused the public and was enhanced by DRIU staff process, with resultant risk management providing safety advice to vulnerable patrons plans clearly identifying and focused on outside license premises at closing times. mitigating current risk factors; greater Social media was used to link in with partner efficiency during subsequent reviews and, activity, and promotional material was more focused, clear and concise product for distributed to promote the ‘We can Stop supervisory consideration. It’ message. The campaign was deemed a success as there were no reports of rape linked to licensed premises in Lanarkshire over the festive period.
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In support of the active and ongoing review Engagement work with survivors and groups of service provision, Scottish Government has helped shape Police Scotland’s approach has provided funding to progress analysis of to people who have reported child abuse. the Scottish RSO population. Such analysis Direct communication with survivors has has never been undertaken. Its intention been improved, through the force website is to identify and develop understanding of and a bespoke information leaflet. A Sexual any underlying causal/contributory factors, Offences Liaison Officer Conference how these impact on risk and demand and enabled an opportunity for the Scottish to inform efficient future approach and Child Abuse Inquiry to publicise their Future resource allocation, to ensure risk continues Pathways information leaflet to SOLO to be minimised as far as is possible and all of officers across the country. Access to this the communities of Scotland continue to be service can provide support, advocacy and kept safe from harm. assistance to survivors of child abuse. Providing Support to Victims Disseminating Prevention Advice and Knowledge Exchange Sexual crime is an underreported crime. Many victim-survivors find it incredibly An example of internal work is the Web difficult to talk about what has happened Constable programme. This has been to them and may not report for months or recognised as an excellent resource to years after. In 2016/17 29.8% of all sexual deliver consistent national online prevention crime recorded had actually occurred one advice to communities. Bespoke workshops year or more prior to being reported to facilitate officers’ engagement with colleagues the police. from across the force area, who are involved in online safety work within their respective The service provided to victims remains Divisions, allowing Web Constables to share a central driver to Police Scotland’s their experience and advice, building further commitment to continually improve their knowledge base and networking their response to rape and sexual crime. opportunities. These workshops were Recognising partnership working is key also supported by key partners including to this and in February 2017 all strategic CEOP, Get Safe Online, Cyber Streetwise partners involved in the investigation and and representatives from academia who all prosecution of Sexual Offences gathered delivered presentations at the events and to share information at the National Sexual support ongoing work on a daily basis. Offences Liaison Officer Conference, discuss enhancement in service provision and cascade organisational learning. The theme throughout the conference was the importance of victim engagement and the delivery of a victim focused response.
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Operation Forseti The Role of the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU) - Child Work is ongoing through Operation Forseti Sexual Abuse in Football to improve Police Scotland’s engagement with adult survivors of child abuse. Police The NSPCC launched a dedicated Scotland is now an associate member of the national football abuse hotline and began Interaction Plan Review Group, membership to refer reports to UK police forces and includes Survivors of abuse, representatives to Operation Hydrant. One of those of provider organisations, Scottish forces was Police Scotland. Due to the Government, Centre for Excellence for scale and complexity of the response Looked after Children in Scotland (CELCIS) required, Police Scotland launched a major and the Scottish Human Rights Commission. investigation, Operation Veritat, led by Police Scotland also attends the Scottish Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Sarah Government Survivor Support Innovation Taylor of the NCAIU. Operation Veritat and Support Group which is attended by brings together the NCAIU, C3, Local approximately 40 organisations who provide Policing, Safer Communities and the Football a variety of services to survivors across Coordination Unit with a Gold Group led by Scotland. This provides Police Scotland with ACC John Hawkins, to provide an effective, an opportunity to engage with survivors, coordinated response that is victim focused. encouraging survivors and instilling in them the confidence to report abuse to Police DCI Taylor said: “This is a fast moving Scotland. On-going development of a child and fluid situation which requires sensitive protection Internet page including an ‘Adult policing and strong partnership working Survivors of Abuse’ information page will with advocacy services and other statutory ensure continued commitment to building agencies. Right now, specialist officers from survivor confidence in Police Scotland. An the NCAIU and public protection teams information leaflet for survivors of child across Scotland are assessing the information abuse has been developed. coming to us and determining the most appropriate response. We need to ensure that individuals who make a disclosure are supported and to make sure those responsible for such crime are subject to rigorous investigation. We are also linked into a coordinated police response at UK level as many reports relate to incidents that require us to work with other UK police forces.”
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The National Human Trafficking Unit On Anti-Slavery day, 18th October 2016, (NHTU) the unit led a multi-agency operation which featured visits to business premises The role of the NHTU is to ensure a across Scotland, including food production co-ordinated and effective response companies, agricultural firms, car washes to trafficking and exploitation incidents and beauty bars. Officers were also involved across Police Scotland. The unit provides with awareness raising work in transport investigative and intelligence development hubs, ports and railway stations in Aberdeen, supporting a network of Human Trafficking Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh. During Champions in each division. From the initial the operation 430 Police Scotland officers planning and development of the Human across all 13 geographical divisions were Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act supported by 50 colleagues from HM 2015, Police Scotland and in particular the Revenue and Customs, Home Office NHTU have played a significant part of the Immigration Enforcement, British Transport consultation and membership of the Strategy Police and the Gangmasters Licensing Implementation Group. and Abuse Authority. This day of action Since its creation the unit have undertaken led to a male being detained for human large-scale investigations, which has resulted trafficking offences and 14 others arrested in Joint Investigation Team funding from for immigration offences. The operation Eurojust for four separate operations all led to the recovery of 11 potential victims, of which have had significant impact both with six children aged under 18 and five in Scotland and Europe. An operation adults who were found working in Nail bars conducted in March 2016, saw an Organised across Scotland and displayed indicators of Crime Group controlling prostitution trafficking. dismantled in both Glasgow and Romania. In December 2016, the unit supported an The result of this operation saw praise operation within J Division (Lothians and from the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Scottish Borders), establishing a multiagency Commissioner and Europol who highlighted reception centre for potential victims of the work of the unit. trafficking. 15 victims attended and received support from police and partners. The reception centre model was again utilised in March 2017 in Q Division (Lanarkshire) where 14 individuals received support. Partners involved included, Migrant Help, Salvation Army, National Crime Agency and local authorities.
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Preventing Harm by Targeting the Traffickers Local Example: Edinburgh During 2016, Police Scotland secured two City Division separate Joint Investigation Team (JIT) In Spring 2016, an Eastern-European female arrangements, via Eurojust, for Human contacted the police in Edinburgh to report Trafficking operations. One of the operations that she had been trafficked into Scotland saw cooperation between Police Scotland, and forced to act as a prostitute, giving all Metropolitan Police, Slovakian Police, her earnings to her keepers. Police Scotland Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service worked with the Trafficking Awareness (COPFS) and prosecutors from Slovakia. Raising Alliance (TARA) to accommodate The investigation led to the identification of the female at a safe location, ensuring 16 females who had been trafficked from medical and other support was provided Slovakia to the UK for the purposes of sham and obtained a full account of what had marriages. happened. The female elected to return to In early 2017, a week of enforcement action her home country and was provided with within the UK and Slovakia was conducted the appropriate support to enable this to which resulted in the arrest of five males happen. The police investigation involved within Glasgow and a further four males in search warrants being executed at multiple Slovakia. Europol, Home Office Immigration addresses. Evidence of prostitution was Enforcement (HOIE), Glasgow City Council recovered, further vulnerable individuals Social Work and the Trafficking Awareness identified, numerous items seized and Raising Alliance (TARA) supported this suspects arrested and charged with a intensification period. number of human trafficking and prostitution related offences.
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Supporting the Scottish Work is underway to consider the Government’s National Framework augmentation of the database with missing for Missing Persons person personal profiles for high-frequency missing persons, aiming to reduce the Every day 84 people are reported missing incidence of them going missing as well as to Police Scotland. Many people who are the time taken to trace them safe and well reported missing can become vulnerable to when they do go missing. Not only can the harm. Many of the persons reported missing database host the profiles in a nationally- each year are young persons who have accessible place, a new statistical reporting gone missing from residential care settings, mechanism for the database allows the often not for the first time. Despite there identification of the most high-frequency being fewer cases of adults being reported missing persons automatically, down to local missing from care establishments, often command area level. their medical or physical conditions impose an urgency and a recognised different set of vulnerabilities that affect the action plan put National Example: in place on a case by case basis. In January 2017, the National Missing The National Missing Persons Database Persons Unit convened a multi-agency (NMPD) was introduced in April 2016 to workshop at the Scottish Police College, collate detailed statistical information about Tulliallan. Representatives from the Scottish missing person investigations conducted by Government, UK Missing Persons Bureau, Police Scotland, and provide national visibility Missing People charity, NHS and Queen to investigations across legacy boundaries. A Margaret University joined police leads to full year’s worth of detailed statistics are now develop a road map for the three Missing available, providing a sound basis for analysis Person partnership protocols, and to to identify areas for improvement. agree support/progress mechanisms for challenging areas. The protocols for Adults The NMPD 2016/17 figures confirm the Missing from Care Settings and Looked direction of the national missing persons after Children have both completed a pilot partnership protocols: the three types of phase, and evaluations are being completed investigation covered by the protocols are prior to national roll-out. Initial indications the highest volume and/or highest risk areas are generally positive, in terms of reduced of business. incidence, police deployments and time taken to find missing persons. The protocol for NHS patients is taking longer to initiate, mainly due to the range and complexity of health service structures - trial hospital sites are being considered to prove the concept in the first instance. Development of all three protocols will help support Scottish Government’s new “National Framework for Missing Persons” which was formally launched on 9th May 2017.
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4.12 Road Safety and Road Crime
The policing of the national road network Annual Police Plan 2016/17 during 2016/17 was focused on reducing Commitments road casualties, influencing driving behaviours and detecting criminality on the • Reduce road casualties in collaboration roads. A national approach to road safety with our partners. and tackling criminality of the roads enables better targeted policing – one of the benefits • Influence driver and road user behaviour. of police reform. In addition, Police Scotland contributes to delivery within the Scottish • Detect and deter all types of criminality on Government’s Road Safety Framework and our roads. Cycling Plan, featuring many partnership initiatives across the country.
National Insurance Enforcement Campaign More than 29,000 people are injured every year by uninsured drivers. In partnership with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) Police Scotland’s Road Policing Division conducted a week of action targeting uninsured drivers at the end of January 2017. Mobile and static road checks were carried out at hotspot areas throughout Scotland. 6,821 vehicles were stopped and checked 349 drivers were detected driving whilst uninsured 206 vehicles seized for being uninsured/ unlicensed IMPACT - MIB reported a 40% increase in the use of the dedicated Police Helpline service used to check insurance cover from the Motor Insurance Database, and a 30% uplift in seizures compared to the same week in 2016. Significant use of social media was undertaken in support of the campaign. During the week, relevant posts on the corporate Police Scotland Facebook account were viewed over 27,000 times and reached over 65,000 people.
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Reducing Road Casualties Why Edinburgh? - Between April 2013 and January 2017 there were 1,109 collisions Project EDWARD (European Day reported involving pedal cycles in Edinburgh. without a Road Death) took place in 30 These collisions included three fatal collisions countries across Europe on 21 September and 139 serious injury collisions, and do 2016. Led by the European Traffic Police not take account of unreported incidents or Network (TISPOL), the initiative highlights “near misses”. The main focus of the “Close the unacceptably high level of 70 deaths Pass” scheme is to educate and improve occurring every day on Europe’s roads. driver behaviour towards cyclists. Where Police Scotland welcomed the initiative, poor cycling is observed, pedal cyclists along with other road safety agencies will also be stopped and provided with including the Royal Society for the guidance on safe riding and consideration Prevention of Accidents, the National Police for other road users. An evaluation of the Chiefs’ Council, Road Safety GB, Road Edinburgh pilot scheme will be conducted Safety Scotland, Road Safety Wales and and, if successful, will be rolled out to other the Automobile Association. The reach of Divisions with identified cycle social media meant that #Project EDWARD safety concerns. featured in the top 50 global trending topics. Although there were some fatalities recorded across Europe on the day, there were none in Scotland.
CASE STUDY: Using best practice to keep cyclists and pedestrians safe The Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework, and Cycling Action Plan sets targets for casualty reduction and also seeks to have 10% of everyday journeys made by bike by 2020. A ‘Close Pass’ cycle awareness scheme pioneered by West Midlands Police has attracted considerable media attention and prompted the public to call for such an initiative in Scotland. During 2016/17 the planning and procurement phases for a similar pilot scheme in Edinburgh were completed with the anticipated launch to coincide with Cycling Scotland’s “Give Everyone Cycle Space” campaign in A pril 2017.
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Influencing Driving Behaviours IMPACT - In August 2016, a weekend of enforcement activity by Road Policing National Mobile Phone/Distraction officers in the Stirlingshire area resulted in a Campaign – From 1st March 2017 the considerable number of road traffic offences penalty for using a mobile phone or hand- being recorded, and a similar number of held device whilst driving doubled, increasing warnings issued for speeding. to £200 and six penalty points. To support this new legislation Police Scotland Road Lothians and Scottish Borders – In the Policing Division delivered a two-week Division there are more young drivers than campaign. any other group involved in fatal and serious accidents. Most accidents occur on rural Phase One – (20th - 28th February 2017) roads, usually on a bend and invariably do Raising awareness of the associated risks and not involve other vehicles. In about 70% of imminent change in penalties, accidents where other vehicles are involved, Phase Two – (1st – 5th March 2017) the young driver is the primary cause of the Challenging drivers who continued to take accident. An ongoing programme of events risks. to emphasise risk and support good driving behaviours was provided for all senior IMPACT – Results showed a significant pupils at schools across the Division. The reduction in the number of drivers detected programme included a hard-hitting drama, using a mobile phone or distraction device. funded by Transport Scotland, telling the Whilst 210 offences were detected during story of three friends whose lives were the 14-day initiative, only 42 offenders were turned upside down following a road traffic detected using such devices post- March 1st. crash involving two of the friends. There was widespread radio, television and social media interest regarding this campaign After the performance, members of with 850,916 people reached via Facebook the cast engaged the students in group and over 306,117 people on Twitter. discussions surrounding the issues raised. Inputs are provided by partners including Local Initiatives Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Forth Valley - Stirlingshire has a vast network Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, local of rural trunk roads which over the summer cycling groups, local authority Community period, are the locus for fatal or serious Safety Unit, and Third Sector Providers for road traffic accidents. The area in and example Alcohol and Drug Services. around the A84/85 is particularly popular IMPACT – Positive evaluations have been with motorcyclists who ride at excessive received with young people agreeing that the speeds and display risky driving behaviours, event has influenced their driving behaviour. threatening their own safety and that of other road users.
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DETECTING CRIMINALITY ON THE ROADS National Multi-agency partnerships - Operation TRIVIUM 7 In November 2016 Police Scotland took part in Operation Trivium 7, a combined UK and European multi-agency approach to tackling foreign national offenders using the road network. Road Policing officers throughout Scotland carried out checks with partner agencies including the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Her Majesty`s Revenue and Customs, Department of Work and Pensions and Immigration Enforcement. Of the 8794 vehicles stopped throughout the UK during the week, Police Scotland accounted for 40% of this total and seized 18% of almost 600 vehicles seized throughout the UK. IMPACT – Road Policing officers based at Fort William acted upon specific Operation Trivium intelligence which led to; • A Russian foreign national being stopped in Fort William whilst driving with no licence or insurance and the vehicle being seized
• A Hungarian driver using a vehicle in a dangerous condition in Stranraer, resulting in the vehicle being served an Immediate Prohibition Notice.
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4.13 Domestic Housebreaking
Police Scotland prioritises domestic Annual Police Plan 2016/17 housebreaking because we know that crimes Commitments of this nature impact greatly upon victims and their overall sense of how safe they feel • Supporting victims of domestic in their own homes. During the year Police housebreaking and targeting the most Scotland deployed tactics and resources prolific offenders. across a full range of prevention tactics to drive down the frequency of domestic • Ensuring that national resources are used housebreakings and address acquisitive crime to support local communities where on a wider scale. domestic housebreaking is an identified priority. It is a positive development that domestic housebreakings are down by 7.3% in • Ensuring best practice is shared and 2016/17 compared to the numbers recorded used to prevent & investigate domestic in the previous year, however the level of housebreaking. housebreakings being detected has also fallen, with 24% being detected in 2016/17 • Collaborating with partners and compared with 28.6% in 2015/16. communities to raise awareness of effective prevention tactics. SUPPORTING VICTIMS Internal communications – Ensuring officers are aware of current issues, emerging trends on current national acquisitive crime campaigns. In addition, the Safer Communities Department also provides officers with easily accessible information and guidance, supporting toolkits, campaign materials and partner links. Police Scotland has begun work on an intranet mini-site which will also disseminate contact details and allow officers to remain up to date in their ongoing operations. This will help to ensure examples of good practice are shared and available to help shape prevention and investigative actions in other divisions. External communications - The ‘Keep Safe’ section of the Police Scotland website contains a range of prevention products, enabling the public to take steps to protect themselves against acquisitive crime.
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Social media – Developing and Using national resources to support maintaining Police Scotland’s social media communities presence to promote acquisitive crime prevention messages, national issues and Police Scotland provided widespread campaigns. evidence relating to local and cross border patrolling and the use of national and Conventional media – Maximising specialist resources, particularly road policing. mainstream media opportunities, through This activity included work by Police Scotland panel discussions or debates on radio and Youth Volunteers (PSYV), Response/ national television to raise awareness of key Community Officers and Community acquisitive crime issues. Wardens - for example, delivering postcards with crime prevention and personal security National and local crime prevention advice to local homes. campaigns – designing, coordinating and delivering acquisitive crime prevention campaigns. Example: Safer Communities supported local Local Support to Victims & Divisions, providing resources for Communities prevention work around housebreaking. Ayrshire Division’s Housebreaking team Glasgow North officers carry out high used national resources such as Telecoms, visibility and plain clothes patrol in areas cybercrime and laboratory services. The where domestic housebreaking has already SCD Communications Investigations been identified as a threat. Intelligence- Department carried out a radio frequency led actions have helped to identify and survey to triangulate mobile phone usage of detect persons responsible not only for perpetrators, successfully used to provide housebreakings, but theft of motor vehicles evidence in a criminal trial. and bikes. Continued engagement and successful partnership work takes place with local community groups for preventative Example: advice to be delivered via newsletters with Highlands and Islands Division has a clear the assistance of Police Scotland Youth focus on this priority through Operation Volunteers, Housing Association publications, RAC. During quarter three the Division daily social media tweets and posts and undertook two periods of anti-crime activity, advice seminars to students residing with resulting in which has resulted in a number University premises. Problem Solving of prolific offenders being stop searched Officers carried out a series of Acquisitive and arrested. Road Policing, Dog Section Crime Prevention Advice roadshows in and officers from the Operational Support local shopping centres and prominent retail Teams were involved. outlets throughout Glasgow North.
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In order to prevent housebreaking, Police How effective is our response? Scotland has targeted the most prolific offenders known for this type of acquisitive Lanarkshire Division initiated Operation crime. Partnership working is essential in this Iroquois in response to the threat, risk field as many perpetrators are motivated and harm and have a dedicated response to commit crimes in support of drug and to such domestic housebreakings in the alcohol addictions, and are increasingly form of the Divisional Alcohol & Violence organised, technically and forensically aware, Reduction Unit (DAVRU). Operation sometimes prepared to use extreme levels Iroquois has a dedicated divisional officer of violence during the commission of such who maintains the intelligence picture. Single crimes. points of contact have also been identified in neighbouring divisions to share information Analysis has shown that most of these in respect of emerging trends, vehicles offences happen during the hours of used, areas targeted, nominals involved and darkness, and divisional officers have notable prison releases. On occasions, there demonstrated willingness and flexibility will also be a collaborative approach to save by changing shifts often at short notice, duplication of work across to ensure the best chance of success by other divisions. means of an intelligence led approach. Such an approach is tailored, dependant on the specific circumstances and may switch focus Operation Bistra - Lothians and between targeting individuals or known Scottish Borders Division hotspots. All operational activity works in In November 2016, 10 males were tandem with the ongoing community safety arrested as part of this ongoing police strategy, raising public awareness primarily operation to target housebreakers. As a via social media. result of extensive inquiries carried out over How good is our shared several months, uniformed officers, CID understanding of the threat? detectives and officers from the Community Investigation Unit, traced these individuals Lanarkshire Division has a comprehensive to several addresses in Edinburgh, and the understanding of the threat posed from Lothians. The males were charged in relation domestic housebreaking where it has been to 15 offences, including theft, theft by identified that the vast majority of which are housebreaking and theft of motor vehicles for the sole purpose of obtaining the true which had been reported to police between keys to steal occupiers’ high value vehicles. December 2015 and September 2016. The A great deal of local knowledge has built a combined cost of the stolen property was robust intelligence profile of suspects estimated at more than £100,000.
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Preventing Housebreaking Crimestoppers – This UK charity Together – Future-Proofing and encourages individuals to provide Increasing Community Resilience information anonymously about crime AND continues to support Police Scotland in a There were many partnership examples number of acquisitive related initiatives. working together on preventative programmes; CASE STUDY: Scottish Community Safety Network Preventing Rural Acquisitive (SCSN) – Police Scotland contributes to a shared vision that encourages the effective Crime in the Scottish Borders development of policy, partnership working Acquisitive crime is a priority in the Local and practice for community safety in Policing Plans for the Scottish Borders, with Scotland. Specialist Crime Division’s Safer rural thefts (including the theft of quad bikes) Communities function, in conjunction with having a value of £347,000 in 2014/15. the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC)8, will facilitate and coordinate future In 2016/17 a high-profile prevention initiative collaborative working opportunities with the was launched in the Scottish Borders, business and industry sectors, addressing the aimed at target-hardening farms, with the problem of acquisitive crime with both new initiative consisting of mailing around 1,000 and existing partners. farms with prevention information, hosting demonstration events on farms, supporting Sharing best practice by Force local shows (i9ncluding the two-day Border Architectural Liaison Officers involved in Union Show), and visiting a number of farms “future-proofing” new-build properties with to issue crime prevention and fire safety “Crime Prevention through Environmental advice, and supply 200 DNA property Design” features in support of the Scottish marking equipment and signage. The police Governments Building Safer Communities worked with colleagues in the Scottish Fire programme. A development event is and Rescue Service, the Local Authority, planned for June 2017 where these specialist and with representatives of the National officers will receive updates on new Farmers Union. guidance, standards and procedures. IMPACT – the impact of the initiative Communities themselves are has been immediately felt though a 62% recognised as best placed to help prevent reduction in the value of rural thefts across Housebreakings occurring. Neighbourhood the Scottish Borders. Furthermore, the Watch Scotland is working with a number initiative attracted significant local media of partners including Police Scotland on a coverage, helping to promote the prevention web-based message alert system. This will message, widen the circulation of prevention be piloted with a plan to facilitate a Scotland- advice, and maintain momentum throughout wide rollout. This system allows real-time and beyond the initiative itself. messages to be sent to participants as well as providing crime prevention advice, 8. SBRC is a one-stop shop for business security services and advice particularly with reference to and links in with a wide variety of prevention strands. rural communities. 88 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
4.14 Corporate Delivery
Working to Support DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE Operational Policing One of the key objectives of Policing 2026 is Effective operational policing delivery to empower, enable and develop our relies on being supported by effective people and Police Scotland and the SPA corporate services provision, spanning will build on some of the workforce-related areas such as Finance and Payroll, ICT, activities undertaken during 2016/17, Human Resources, Procurement, Fleet highlighted below. and Estates Management. During the first four years of operating as a single national Future Workforce – A review of rank service, the initial priority was to ensure that ratios was conducted across Police Scotland operational policing service delivery and to gain a better understanding of current associated performance was maintained and future demand based on changes to and then developed through the creation the external environment, with a rollout of new national and regional structures and of a new model taking place throughout systems for supporting these. Progress over the year. The introduction of Policing 2026 the four years was also achieved in terms and the supporting secondary research to of streamlining corporate services support, establish a demand baseline is significant principally through removing duplicate in its contribution towards meeting future roles and functions that were apparent resourcing needs. on merging the legacy organisations. The Other workforce activities included: priority as Police Scotland moves forward on the reform journey will be to undertake • Development of a new Resource transformative change across the whole Deployment model of policing, including corporate support services, ensuring that outstanding areas • Refresh of the current vacancy for improvement (e.g. the development management process of national applications for payroll) are • Launch of a new 4-week programme prioritised at an early stage as Police Scotland ‘Introduction to Policing’ to encourage moves towards 2026. members of the Black, Minority, Ethnic Communities to consider a career in policing
• Completion of a new Mentoring Framework and a Talent Management programme
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Positive workplace – In March 2017, • Ten Quick Wins Workshops - Involving the results of the Interim Staff Survey over 150 sergeants and inspectors in were published internally, with over workshops to help identify cross-cutting 7,700 responses received and divisional solutions or ‘Quick Wins’ with potential to and departmental results distributed to quickly help reduce operational pressures. relevant leaders to engage with their people. Although there continued to be • Introducing an online suggestion forum many positive findings identified through ‘Ask the Dep’ as a way to invite questions the Survey, the Survey results provide and suggestions from staff on efficiency some evidence that many of the actions savings and ways to improve how the undertaken so far have yet to have had a force operates. positive effect on staff and officers across the whole organisation. Police Scotland A further survey will take place in has produced four targeted action plans spring 2018. which cover the key themes of: Inspiring Training, Learning and Development Leadership; Engaging and Valuing Each Other; Our Voice; and an During 2016/17 Police Scotland reviewed its Exciting Experience. leadership and management development programmes and have introduced a new • Some of the activities ongoing in response leadership (supervisory) programme for first to survey feedback include; line managers. Leadership development will be a critical factor in building a sustainable • Introduction of a new simplified national organisation to deliver the ambitions set appraisal framework called ‘Performance out in Policing 2026 around workforce Development Conversations’ based on empowerment. what staff and officers said would be more meaningful A key factor influencing training delivery for officers in Police Scotland is legislative change • Introducing a Senior Leaders Forum to that will cause a subsequent change or involve them on developing future plans, introduction of a new operational practice. ensuring that these are communicated to During 2016/17 rationalisation of training their people. was undertaken to ensure a standardised approach to content delivery and intended • Running a pilot wellbeing programme training outcomes. A strategic E-learning within a Division to train and upskill Group was established to assess demand, managers in supporting health and explore opportunities and equip the force to wellbeing across their teams. deliver training via alternative methods. This • Production of a regular “You Said, We group will develop policy and plans for the Did” newsletter provides an update on forthcoming year. survey recommendation progress to all staff.
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In addition to carrying out training, leadership IMPROVING OUR development activity will be a critical enabler TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY for Police Scotland and the SPA if the Policing AND CAPABILITY 2026 ambitions around empowering, enabling and developing our people are to ICT continued to support the delivery of be realised. key transformational projects throughout the organisation. Together they will deliver a Training highlights during 2016/17 included: secure, flexible, resilient and efficient national ICT environment. This will allow ICT to • Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill support the delivery of operational and • Stop and Search, in preparation for organisational priorities. implementation of the new Code of Project teams enabled the delivery of: Practice – all officers who carry out Stop and Search duties • New National Custody System (NCS) - supporting the introduction of the Criminal • Mental Health Awareness Justice (Scotland) Act is the primary aim with implementation expected to improve • New Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill the care and management of those in custody by enabling common standards • New Innkeeper system across Police Scotland. NCS will introduce (Firearms Licensing) national visibility of custody information assisting operational decision making, Training Directory staff/officer deployment and simplify the For the first time since the national service prisoner transfer process. ‘Phase two’ was formed, Police Scotland had an accurate will see an upgrade to NCS that will picture of current, live training available to address the legislative requirements of the deliver to personnel. This work resulted in Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act and will be a 50% reduction of training listed - 2,916 implemented by June 2017. rationalised down to 1,466 programmes. Wherever possible courses were merged • New Scottish Intelligence Database; and standardised. A revised ‘business as usual’ governance process was developed • National Payroll solution; and agreed, ensuring that all new training • Project Alliance/ADEL to upgrade requests were authorised and developed Microsoft Windows software in compliance with the National Approved Framework for Quality Assurance in Training • Consolidation of national databases for and Education. A directory of all national Missing Persons and Vulnerable Persons Police Scotland training was created to support the lifetime management of all Preferred solutions were identified for both training products. Intelligence and Custody, delivered using existing Police Scotland solutions (National Custody) and collaborating with other Forces across the UK (National Intelligence).
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Extensive work involved will continue to Fleet be progressed to meet one of the Policing 2026 objectives – Investing in our use of Police Scotland delivered a consistent Information and Technology. national fleet management system across the country, allowing the running of fleet Police Scotland has established a Digital more effectively. The centralisation of Transformation Service within the existing vehicle purchasing now means better terms Service Delivery function. This will create can be agreed upon with suppliers due to a revised model for the delivery of ICT - economies of scale, creating savings for enabling alignment of the existing Digital Police Scotland. Transformation Strategy with Policing 2026 outcomes. A National Vehicle User Group (NVUG), created in 2016, has clear Terms of MAKING EFFICIENT USE OF Reference and meets twice a year to OUR ASSETS determine future fleet strategy, fleet replacement and ‘Right vehicle Right place Procurement Right time’ for Police Scotland/SPA. Changes to the Public Procurement For 2016/17 two high level performance Regulations came into force in April 2016, indicators have been agreed for Fleet, resulting in an exercise to revise the reported quarterly. Force’s policy and processes to ensure adherence to the regulations. Police Scotland • Vehicle Availability - The current vehicle worked closely with Scottish Government availability is 98.1% as at end March 2017 procurement colleagues to ensure alignment, sharing of best practice and lessons learnt. • Vehicle Fleet Size - The current Vehicle Fleet has 3,280 vehicles Police Scotland concluded a Strategic Expenditure Assessment of all third party contracted spend. The assessment informed the development the Commercial Excellence Programme Business Case. The programme, going through approvals, will embed a refreshed commercial approach to Procurement, Category Management, Supplier and Contract Management. Progress was made on the delivery of the savings plan which identified opportunities for savings in excess of the £1m target (Procurement Savings 2016/17). Procurement and Finance worked together to assess the financial impact of the savings identified. The level of savings realised for 2016/17 is currently being assessed.
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Estates The total number of police properties continues to reduce with a further 15 asset disposals and four lease terminations during 2016/17. Estate change activities have generated around £12.3 million in capital receipts and reduced running costs by circa £4.6 million since the inception of Police Scotland. Implementation of the Carbon Management Plan is the route Police Scotland uses to address carbon emissions. During 2016/17 work was completed in over twenty five premises to reduce carbon emissions. The projects included boiler replacements, LED lighting and building management system upgrades. The projects are estimated to save around £77,000 annually through reduced utilities expenditure and deliver 450 tonnes reduction of carbon dioxide emission. A collaborative contract along with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service for the provision of Facilities Management (FM) Services was awarded to Mitie Technical Facilities Management Ltd. The contract will save over £4 million during its term of seven years, providing national consistency and streamlined processes whilst improving health, safety and compliance on the estate. Work commenced on the specification and tender for an additional FM Services contract, which also will reduce the running costs of the estate and rationalise processes. Several utility cost reduction projects were also carried out in 2016/17, the Electricity Capacity Reduction project will lead to annual savings of £44,000 per annum and the Water Meter Downsizing project will lead to annual savings of £30,000.
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4.15 Organisational Learning
1. Contact, Command and 2016/17 saw a number of significant Control - Delivering Improvement developments in the progress of the C3IR through Planned Change and Good programme, including; Governance • Integration of our service centres in the Since 2014 Police Scotland has been East and West of Scotland, integrating with implementing significant changes to its Area Control Rooms around the country; call-handling, response and deployment arrangements across Scotland through • Successful delivery of the national the work of the Contact, Command and Command and Control System (STORM) Control Division (C3). The changes have across Scotland (incorporating the Dundee been delivered through the C3 Integration Area Control Room); and Remodelling Programme (C3IR). The programme has been realising a number • Rollout of a software upgrade to of significant benefits by achieving various the ASPIRE Customer Relationship programme milestones on the journey, with Management System; ongoing business change and continuous • Transition of business from Dundee and improvement being shaped by the Aberdeen Service Centres to the Police observations and learning that have arisen Scotland Service Centre sites; from work conducted by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMICS) and • Transition of business from Aberdeen supporting internal assurance mechanisms Area Control Room to Dundee Area within C3, as well as enhanced governance Control Room. processes put in place by SPA. Governance arrangements for the Project were strengthened through the creation of an SPA C3 Governance and Assurance Group and a developing, more balanced performance framework. A number of benefits and performance improvements have been identified (and validated) so far, including: • Reductions in the number of discontinued calls
• Shorter average answering speeds, particularly for 101 calls
• More streamlined transferring of incidents between Area Control Rooms and the Police Scotland Service Centre (based between Govan, Motherwell and Bilston Glen)
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• Increased confidence among staff using In assessing C3 Division’s progress HMICS’ the system through improved training Lead Inspector Derek Penman QPM stated, provision and the creation of a culture of learning and continuous improvement “HMICS remains supportive of the overall strategic direction for call handling being • Faster ICT systems with improved pursued by SPA and Police Scotland. As in capability, supporting the ongoing my original report, I would again emphasise aspiration for better first contact resolution that there will always be a level of risk which must be managed in the operation of police • Improved Grade of Service for Call call handling. There have been a number of Handling significant or notable incidents which have been reported and attracted media attention • Better demand management and over the past year….These incidents have all strengthened national business resilience been used to inform improvement and promote learning in the division. Whilst this confirms my • Reduction in ongoing ICT upgrades and assessment that improvements still need to be overhead costs made, the reality is that, as within any human system, risk cannot be wholly negated. Police The improvements to C3 operations, Scotland continues to improve processes to achievement of performance improvements, mitigate against these risks”. and the enhancements made to governance structures and processes were recognised by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in his update report of January 2017, following on from his initial review published in November 2015.
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HMICS reviewed this process in December NOTABLE INCIDENTS 2016 with the following findings being – DEMONSTRATING A reported – “Overall, we found that the notable incident process was working well and LEARNING CULTURE appeared to add value by supporting learning C3 Divisional Commander Roddy and improvement within C3 Division. The Newbigging - “Public contact with the police process has also matured since its introduction. through 999 and 101 calls and our response to Our findings are intended to support C3 the issues people report to us – often at times Division to further develop and continuously of crisis, emergency and need – is critical to improve the process.” the service we deliver”. Assistant Chief Constable Hawkins said We strive to make that service and our on behalf of C3, “Whilst it is pleasing that response the best it can be and that is why HMICS has recognised the considerable it’s vitally important we get it right and progress that we have made in relation to learn from occasions where management their recommendations we are in no way intervention is needed. Fostering a culture complacent. We recognise how important where staff feel able to highlight areas for our 999 and 101 services are and we will improvement is key to that. continue to do all that we can to ensure that we continue to provide communities across Since the process began in April 2016, Scotland with the best services possible.” there have been in excess of 3 million calls from the public. We have excellent, committed staff and officers who receive those telephone calls and who respond on the ground. The process for capturing the information was introduced following the assurance review into call-handling and as a result of a specific recommendation made my HMICS. The system was implemented to ensure the service continuously improves how we work and recognises the importance of providing additional training or implementing changes to processes to make our service better. The process is fully supported and well-used by our staff who, around the clock, perform a key role in public contact with the service and are a critical element in our frontline response.”
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2. Stop and Search – Improving Identifying Improvement Needs Practice through Collaborative Scrutiny and Engagement Academic research on the subject published in 2014 found that the rate of stop and Police Scotland’s use of stop and search search in the legacy Strathclyde Police has been the subject of significant scrutiny force in 2010 had been four times that since the establishment of the single national of England and Wales, and twice that of service, and has been an important testing the Metropolitan Police Force9. A review ground for the new scrutiny arrangements undertaken by the SPA in 2013/14 further that have been in place at a local and national noted that the number of searches had level. continued to increase since 2010, and differences to London in rates of search 2016/17 has seen significant levels of work had only widened. Following these new conducted in preparation for the new findings, reviews on the practice were Code of Practice on Stop and Search, that conducted by a number of bodies including came into effect on 11 May 2017, that will the SPA, Police Scotland, HMICS, and SIPR fundamentally change how this policing tactic where a number of recommendations were is used, as well as laying out expectations made for change and improvement. The on how the use of stop and search will be improvements included Police Scotland monitored and governed in the future. adopting a presumption to the use of Scrutiny of this issue around volume, statutory powers of search for officers, operational policy intent, recording practices, which combined with improvements in officer training and guidance, performance recording practices, training, audit and targets and community impact, has already supervision should give communities across driven significant change and improvement Scotland more confidence in the use of the in stop and search practice over a relatively stop and search.10 short period of time, with momentum maintained and enhanced over the last year through effective collaborative scrutiny and engagement.
9. Murray, K. (2014), ‘Stop and search in Scotland: An evaluation of police practice.’ SCCJR Report 01/2014
10. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (2015), ‘Audit and Assurance Review of Stop and Search: Phase 1’ 97 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
The Scottish Government convened an Improving the Practice Independent Advisory Group (IAG) on Stop Police Scotland carried out extensive and Search, chaired by John Scott QC. The stakeholder engagement on stop and IAG conducted its own review stop and search – creating a high level Stop and search, remarking that “There is a perception Search Reference Group, chaired by Deputy among some, both within and out with Police Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick, including Scotland, that when the legacy [Scottish] forces many stakeholders from the public and were unified the Strathclyde approach [to third sectors. Police Scotland also created stop and search] became the Police Scotland a Children and Young People’s Reference approach” and that the use of Stop and Search Group with all key children’s organisations ‘targets’ resulted in a proliferation of the tactic, as well as carrying out a significant level of with “individual officers [feeling] under pressure engagement with children and young people, to make sure that they carried out enough attending events and workshops across stop and searches”. A key component of the country. concerns centred on the number of searches – notably non-statutory searches – being During 2014/15 Police Scotland established a carried out on younger people, particularly National Stop and Search Unit (NSSU) and those in disadvantaged areas – and whether Improvement Delivery Team (NSSIDT) to the tactic risked contributing to a sense of oversee the operational use, governance, alienation and disenfranchisement within and scrutiny of the tactic, and produced this group. HMICS’ Audit and Assurance a series of improvement plans to carry review also supported the development of forward the scrutiny recommendations. a statutory Code of Practice for stop and search in Scotland, a code which the IAG Since then and NSSU and NSSIDT have subsequently produced. As of May this year continued to drive further improvement, the code will make consensual searches both locally and nationally in supporting unlawful, and requires for all searches to be operational practice. The improvement necessary, proportionate, and in accordance activity focused on: with the law. • Improving data quality and availability;
• Providing consistency and transparency in the application of the tactic;
• Developing and rolling out national stop and search training and enhanced guidance
• And perhaps most crucial of all to consider the use of stop and search in the wider context of crime prevention, community engagement and public confidence.
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Key changes to stop and search as a result • An improved understanding of the impact of scrutiny, engagement, and the shared of stop and search on individuals and commitment to continuous improvement by different communities across Scotland, both Police Scotland and the SPA include: especially young people and people from deprived communities, as well as broader • An approximate 90% reduction in social attitudes on stop and search held by the total volume of stop and searches the public recorded between 2013-14 and 2016- 1711, including a significant decline in the • Establishing a research forum with number of searches being conducted on academic partners in order to identify and young people; drive best practice through research.
• A presumption towards statutory search, National Stop and Search training to ensure resulting in a phasing-out of consensual that all officers know the requirements of the (non-statutory) searches even in advance Code, the powers of statutory search, and of the Code coming into effect12. the importance of positive engagement in communities. • An improvement in positive detection rates, rising to 30% as of Police Scotland and SPA have jointly December 201613. developed an assurance approach, enabling the SPA to see ongoing evidence of the • The introduction of an enhanced National change and improvement to stop and search Stop and Search database, allowing for – both operationally and organisationally. more accurate recording, auditing, and The SPA Policing Committee will continue to interrogation of stop and search records. monitor the assurance model that has been developed, including testing Police Scotland’s • Improved transparency through published compliance with the new Code of Practice. Stop and Search figures.
• An internal, but externally validated, review of Stop and Search records to check for compliance, and offer guidance, support, and feedback to officers where necessary.
• A tiered and inclusive approach to governance of Stop and Search, including representation from the SPA and 11. The 2015 SPA Scrutiny report of Stop and Search reported 519,000 searches (including seizures) as being conducted by Police stakeholders including academia. Scotland between April and December 2013. This compares to 31,100 searches and 6,800 seizures reported between April and December 2015-16.
12. At the time of HMICS’ Phase 1 report, the majority of searches recorded in Scotland were conducted on a non-statutory basis (70%). This value has fallen to 3.5% as of Quarter 3 2016-17.
13. The 2015-16 year, where data was available from June 2015 to March 2016, saw an overall positive detection rate of 25%. 99 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
Following its original Audit and Assurance Next, the Research Evaluation and Review of Stop and Search in March 2015, Organisational Review Group (REORG) for HMICS produced a Phase 2 follow-up stop and search was established by Police report in February 201714. The review Scotland and the SPA, with participation found that; from SIPR and the Universities of Dundee, Edinburgh, the West of Scotland, and “Police Scotland has delivered substantial Edinburgh Napier. The group propose, improvements in the way it conducts, 5 commission, and apply academic research records and monitors all stop and search to further the understanding of stop and activities. It should be commended for search and its impact on communities. This the way in which it has engaged widely approach received recognition when in their with stakeholders in driving these February 2017 report on Stop and Search, improvements… All 23 recommendations HMICS welcomed “the commitment made in our Phase 1 report are now fully from Police Scotland and the SPA to both discharged.” commission and apply academic research to identify best practice”. Case Study: Embedding What Next – With the Policing 2026 Evidence-Based Approaches focussing on collaboration and innovation, through Strengthened members of the RE-ORG plan to share the Academic Collaboration learning and benefits of this research model, demonstrating how its principles can be Academic findings on the use of Stop and directed towards wider aspects of policing Search contributed to the subsequent and as evidence-informed policing continues to enhanced levels of scrutiny directed towards become embedded as part of organisational the tactic. However, the drive towards learning. improving the approach to stop and search has demonstrated the value of engaging with academia at an early stage, and utilising research to inform best practice. In 2015 an evaluation of a Stop and Search pilot within Fife Division was carried out by the University of Dundee and Edinburgh Napier University. A series of recommendations were adopted into national improvement plans - recurring themes around the application, proportionality, communication, and recording of the practice.
14. HMICS Audit and Assurance Review of Stop and Search Phase 2 (February 2017) 100 SCOTTISH POLICE AUTHORITY – ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICING 2016/17
Policing 2026 5 The Future
Our 10 year strategy for policing in Scotland
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5.0 Policing 2026 – The Future
In early 2016, collaborative work began The Programme enabled the SPA and between the SPA and Police Scotland to Police Scotland to build a strategy to achieve develop a long term strategy for Scottish long term sustainability and the shared policing to ensure service improvement vision of ‘sustained excellence in service and sustainability over the decade ahead. and protection’. The strategy, published for While the initial focus of the reform journey consultation in February 2017, sets out why was to ensure that service to the public Scottish policing needed to change, what we was maintained and the merger of the ten are collectively trying to achieve and how legacy organisations into a single service was we will do it. It aims to ensure that Police delivered successfully, it was recognised that Scotland is sufficiently flexible to address the time was right to develop a long term new and changing demands that improve strategy to set a clear and shared direction outcomes for people, communities and for the future. places as well as ensuring that SPA Forensics is strategically aligned to support Police Policing 2026 is a collaborative and strategic Scotland over the next decade. programme of work, driven by the SPA and Police Scotland that aims to move The strategy makes clear that despite a Scottish policing into the next stage of the changing world, Scottish policing’s values of reform journey - service transformation. An Fairness, Integrity and Respect will remain evidence base has been developed to inform constant. The focus of the strategy is on five the programme that included; areas: • An analysis of service demand; • Protection: Addressing need and demand based on assessment of threat, • Comprehensive assessment of future risk and harm. threats and risks facing the service; • Prevention: Working with partners to • Long-term analysis of changing societal tackle crime, inequality and deep issues; and rooted issues.
• Early assessment of existing capability and • Communities: Focussing on diversity in capacity across Scottish policing. our communities and the virtual world.
Alongside this, the SPA commissioned • Knowledge: Using our knowledge to SIPR to undertake an evidence review of inform the development of better services. prevailing best practice and contemporary thinking amongst academics on future • Innovation: Building a dynamic, policing requirements organised around the adaptable and sustainable service. broad themes of Prevention, Performance, People, Place, Partnership and Public Accountability.
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The draft strategy also sets out a series of The SPA’s role is to hold the Chief Constable Strategic Objectives to deliver on these to account and the shared strategy sets out areas of focus. These will feature in the clearly what he should be held to account associated Implementation Plan (2017-20) for. The SPA is also working closely with which is being developed alongside the Police Scotland on the development of a finalised strategy. new performance framework which will be key to that, so that everyone knows what is Implementing our strategy expected, enabling progress to be tracked The full consultation process on Policing and scrutinised. 2026 closed in late May 2017 and work In summary, our responsibilities for is progressing to build a transformation policing will not change, but the portfolio and change capability within way in which we provide policing Police Scotland to deliver on the Strategic services will – this will be the legacy Objectives set out in the strategy. of Policing 2026. Supported by the increased investment for policing in the Scottish Government’s 2017- 18 budget, and subject to the availability of future funding, the SPA and Police Scotland’s focus over the first three years of implementation will be on bringing policing onto a financially-sustainable footing, and doing so at a measured pace that maintains public confidence and the morale and wellbeing of the police workforce. Governing the strategy The SPA governance model, where a national oversight body separates policing from politics, continues to develop. SPA has created a Policing Sub Committee of the board, to ensure there is debate and discussion around operational policing issues and police activity that impact on public perception of ‘policing by consent’. The Policing Sub Committee has led on scrutiny of developing work around the implementation of the long-term strategy for policing and will continue to assess progress and advise the SPA board on issues and risks.
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