HMICS Annual Report 2025-26

Inspection reports

HMICS reports:

Frontline focus review of tools of the trade

The aim of this frontline focus review was to assess how well equipped frontline operational officers and staff are to perform their roles – with an emphasis on uniform and equipment. It was also to assess whether frontline officers and staff have ready access to appropriate data to help them perform their duties. In it, we outlined key findings and made six recommendations. We also highlighted further areas for development intended to help Police Scotland ensure that officers and staff have access to uniform and equipment that is high-quality, comfortable and effective (key to this is officer and staff involvement in the design and procurement of uniform and other equipment).

Thematic inspection of police response to drug harm reduction

The aim of this thematic inspection was to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of Police Scotland’s strategic and operational approach to the reduction of drug-related harms in Scotland, and the outcomes achieved. The resulting report is based on a comprehensive review of available information and data, and involved engaging widely with police and partners through interviews and onsite visits. Our report outlined key findings highlighting positive police practice found during our inspection, including strong partnership working arrangements (for example, police working effectively with partners in the divisions we visited to tackle the issues associated with near-fatal overdose). We made seven recommendations for improvement that are intended to support Police Scotland to progress and develop its role in this important area.

HMICS assurance review of conduct and discipline

The aim of this assurance review was to assess the state, efficiency and effectiveness of officer and staff conduct and discipline processes within Police Scotland and the SPA. To deliver the review, we adopted a comprehensive, evidence-based approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods. We conducted interviews with a broad range of stakeholders including those involved in or with experience of conduct or discipline processes, as well as representatives from staff associations and trade unions. We also examined concluded police officer conduct case files and concluded police staff disciplinary cases. The resultant report highlights strengths, identifies areas requiring improvement and proposes 24 recommendations aimed at strengthening professional standards, organisational learning, leadership behaviours, wellbeing support and accountability across policing in Scotland. We were ready to publish the findings of our review in March 2026, but temporarily paused publication following requests from the Chief Constable of Police Scotland and the Chief Executive of the SPA, who asked for time to consider any potential implications for proceedings that were ongoing. No changes were made to the review report during the period while publication was paused.

A key element of this report is the recognition of the impact that disciplinary and conduct investigations have on officers and staff, and the toll taken on mental and physical health. While it is clear that the public expect that misconduct is dealt with robustly (and officers and staff understand this), the speed of processes and the length of time taken, alongside anxiety about the potential for a career-ending outcome, are significant and traumatic. Police Scotland and the SPA must therefore ensure that the systems and processes in place are focused on speedier resolution, procedural fairness and adherence to the regulations.

Joint scrutiny activity:

Joint inspections of adult support and protection services

During 2024-25 (and the early months of 2025-26), we worked collaboratively with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Care Inspectorate to make recommendations to Scottish Government on an improvement framework for adult support and protection services. All work on scrutiny of service provision has now ceased and we and our partners are no longer funded to undertake this joint work. Consideration is being given to proposals in respect of the expectation of scrutiny going forward.

Joint inspection of services for children and young people at risk of harm

We have continued to work with the Care Inspectorate, HIS and Education Scotland, completing three inspections over the past year.

The remit of these joint inspections is to consider the effectiveness of services for children and young people up to the age of 18 who are at risk of harm. The inspections look at the difference that community planning partnerships (statutory partnerships including local authorities, health, policing and other service delivery bodies) are making to the lives of children and young people at risk of harm, and their families.

As per previous years, the inspections cover specific geographical areas and perform a key role in supporting services for children and young people. The partnership areas inspected in the current reporting period are published on the Care Inspectorate website.

Joint inspection of police custody centres in Scotland

We worked with HIS to produce a baseline assessment of healthcare in custody in 2022-23. Following the publication of this report, agreement to fund and implement a scrutiny programme delivered by both agencies was sought and agreed.

We have since published nine reports covering geographic areas, providing recommendations for policing, healthcare providers and, on occasion, wider commentary on the service for those who are in custody. We have also undertaken a review with HIS of the recommendations made so far and the impact achieved. This will be published during the 2026–27 financial year and will update the baseline from the previous report, while also improving understanding of national and thematic issues on how custody centres manages those deprived of their liberty. 

During 2025-26, we published inspection reports on custody in Forth Valley, Highland and Islands, and a progress report on the previously-published report regarding the Argyll and West Dunbartonshire division.

We have continuing concerns about the difference between the observation levels agreed for those in custody who are at risk, and the actual risk assessments undertaken. Having two levels of risk (high or low), but four observation levels, can contribute to inconsistent decision-making, especially when resources are stretched. Police Scotland has started to consider this, but we are concerned that this is not being addressed with sufficient urgency (this is also aligned to decision making on referrals of those in custody to a healthcare practitioner).

We also found instances where persons detained in custody have completed the process required for the criminal justice system and yet are held for considerable periods beyond that time. This occurs too frequently, with little recorded rationale for the delays.

Citing witnesses in the sheriff court

The aim of this inspection was to assess how effectively and efficiently prosecution witnesses are cited to give evidence in the sheriff court. This included members of the public who had been the victim of a crime or who had witnessed a crime, as well as police and professional witnesses. A key element of the inspection was understanding the impact that the process of becoming a witness and providing evidence in court has on victims and witnesses, and whether a trauma informed approach is evident. The inspection was carried out jointly with HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS), and allowed us to consider the citation process from both a prosecution and policing perspective. The report made 50 recommendations, covering individual organisations, collaborative actions and system-wide improvements across the whole criminal justice system.

We look forward to seeing the impact of these recommendations (which included modernisation of the citations process) on the experience of victims and public, professional and police witnesses. The potential for significant savings was an additional benefit to this work and should allow better use of resources across policing, prosecution, and witnesses.

Best Value in policing – joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland

In this joint audit we worked with Audit Scotland to assess how effectively the Best Value arrangements in policing are demonstrating continuous improvement in delivering the current strategic outcomes, overall vision and transformation of policing services. This included examining whether policing has a clear strategic direction, the effective use of resources, and how well policing is performing. Our report found that policing in Scotland is well managed and led, but that more needs to be done to reform the service and make the best use of its resources: we made seven recommendations designed to support further improvement.