Stability and capability across the leadership of Police Scotland and the experience and expertise of the Board at the Scottish Police Authority are highlighted in the annual report of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary which is published today (Thursday, June 27).
HMCICS Mrs Gill Imery QPM said: “I am aware that considerable effort has been devoted to building the top tier of Police Scotland and enhancing the Board of the SPA. The SPA is now turning its attention to the development of its corporate function, an area which we previously identified as a priority. I welcome these improvements and look forward to the progress which these changes will bring.
“The Chief Constable’s main focus of delivering effective operational policing is shared by his senior colleagues and is well received by the workforce at large. During our inspection activity, we continue to be impressed by the determination of officers and staff to deliver an effective policing service to the communities they serve.”
Mrs Imery examines the issues of Budget, Workforce planning, ICT, Demand and Performance in this report which covers her first year in the role of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. There has been significant progress in the area of Demand and the new Performance Framework is a positive step towards showing the impact of policing activity, she states.
However the less than anticipated budget allocation for 2019-2020 has impacted on the hoped for ICT solutions and other capital projects. “It is clear that without the necessary funding, there is a risk to the overall delivery of benefits of police reform,” added Mrs Imery.
In considering the potential of the Contact Assessment Model, which aims to provide the most appropriate response to meet the needs of a caller to Police Scotland, Mrs Imery guards against it being seen as a means to reduce demand and thereby reduce police resources. She also reflects on the impact of Brexit contingency planning on police officer numbers. Turning to the focus on violent crime, Mrs Imery cautions against making assumptions about the impact of the use of stop and search on instances of violence.
During the period covered by the annual report, HMICS published five significant inspection reports and three progress reviews. It also continued to work with the Care Inspectorate on joint inspections of services for children and young people, adults in need of care and protection and community justice.
This annual report outlines the inspection and scrutiny work undertaken by HMICS from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.
