Police

Police officers and staff across Scotland do a vital job keeping our communities safe, often in challenging circumstances.

We are committed to supporting this crucial service, and ensuring our police workforce is well-equipped to deal with emerging threats and future needs.

Actions

We are building on reforms already delivered to Scottish policing by:

• supporting the delivery of the 10 year policing strategy 'Serving a Changing Scotland' which aims to transform police services
• consulting on new strategic police priorities which set the direction for policing in Scotland
• strengthening public confidence in policing by working with partners on the recommendations from the independent review of complaints handling, investigations and misconduct in relation to policing
• protecting the police resource budget in real terms in every year of this Parliament - a boost of £100 million by 2021
• working with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to agree a 6.5% deal on police officer pay
• setting out police terms and conditions following recommendations by the Police Negotiating Board

We are also:

• strengthening powers and procedures available to the police to prevent and detect crime, whilst protecting the rights of those accused

• improving how biometric data such as fingerprints, DNA and facial images are handled by police through the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Act

• ensuring the experiences of those affected by the 1984 to 1985 miners' strike are fully understood through the independent review of the impact of policing on communities including the introduction of the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Bill which proposes to provide a collective pardon to former miners convicted of certain offences relating to the strike

• supporting the Independent Advisory Group on New Emerging Technologies in Policing in their ongoing work to examine the possible legal and ethical issues presented by technological developments in policing

• funding a programme to support the mental health and wellbeing of front line emergency workers, including police

Background

Police Scotland is the single service responsible for policing in Scotland.

It is held to account by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) which is accountable to Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament.

The SPA is also responsible for the management and delivery of forensic services and independent custody visiting in Scotland.

We set the strategic police priorities, which are supported by the Scottish Police Authority's strategic police plan and Police Scotland's annual plan.

Statistics

The police officer quarterly strength statistics provide quarterly updates on the number of police officers employed by Police Scotland.

Bills and legislation

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 provides the statutory basis for policing in Scotland.

It brought together 10 police organisations into a single police service.

The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 modernised the arrest and custody procedures and provisions for people coming into police custody.

The Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Bill puts in place new oversight arrangements for the collection, use, retention and disposal of biometric data for criminal justice purposes, through the creation of a new parliamentary commissioner.

Archive content

You can access police content that was previously on the www2.gov.scot site at the gov.scot archive.

Contact

Police Division
Scottish Government
1st Floor Rear
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Tel: 03002444000