HMICS Assurance review of Conduct and Discipline

This assurance review examines the fairness, transparency and effectiveness of Police Scotland and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) conduct and discipline systems. The review 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. The report builds on recent inspections such as vetting, organisational culture, and wellbeing. Many other areas of work have also been considered, including the report by (the then) Dame Elish Angiolini in 2020.

Key findings indicate that ‑ while Police Scotland maintains a clear organisational purpose and well‑defined Codes of Ethics and Standards of Professional Behaviour ‑ significant inconsistencies persist in some leadership behaviours, personal performance management, whistleblowing arrangements and the timeliness of conduct and disciplinary processes.

The review found that new officers and staff receive inconsistent training on key ethical and conduct expectations, and current performance appraisal processes are viewed as ineffective and very poorly utilised. A key element highlighted in this report is that of the performance management of officers and staff, and the underuse of the system that is in place (MyCareer). This low uptake and lack of trust in the system is symptomatic of many issues raised by staff associations, officers and members of staff over recent years. We have highlighted in previous reports concerns over how staff are managed, how performance dips are addressed, and a perceived early rush to use conduct processes where performance processes would be more effective. The current performance regulations are complex and difficult to use, and need to be reviewed to improve capability in effectively managing officers and staff.

Record keeping in several key areas ‑ including whistleblowing, senior officer assessments, and conduct investigations ‑ lacks transparency and consistency, undermining assurance and organisational and stakeholder confidence. The database used to record conduct matters appears to sit outwith any information or data governance systems. Concerns have also been raised at some of the practices used in this system in relation to reports of wrongdoing by chief officers.

The review found that wellbeing support for officers and staff under investigation is inconsistent and often inadequate, with many individuals reporting severe mental health impacts including suicidal ideation. Greater effort needs to be made to support those officers and staff who are under investigation, often for long periods of time, to ensure that they are kept up to date and have suitable support.

The absence of an independent prescribed body with an investigative capability for whistleblowing disclosures in Scotland is also a critical gap; this limits safe reporting routes for staff (and the protections that are available under the law) and diminishes the effectiveness of this route of reporting.

The review also identifies concerns about senior officer conduct assessments, including inconsistent referral practices and insufficient record keeping by the SPA. This was raised previously by Lady Angiolini and there has been insufficient progress in the five years since her report. The close working relationships between senior managers within the Scottish Police Authority and chief officers within Police Scotland has been highlighted as both a positive in terms of day to day and long term improvements being made, but also a conflict when it comes to the impartial dealing with matters alleging wrongdoing by senior officers. Staff, officers and some representative bodies see this as a significant conflict of interest with many of them feeling that this results in chief officers being treated more leniently than those they manage.

The report identifies areas of good practice, including the introduction of dedicated police staff investigators and the Fair Play advisor role, both of which contribute to improved impartiality, challenge and consistency in decision making. Benchmarking with forces in England and Wales highlights opportunities for improved training, more structured learning‑focused approaches to conduct issues, and simplified performance regulations.

Overall, HMICS concludes that while significant strengths exist across the policing system, substantial improvements are required to strengthen consistency, transparency, governance and wellbeing support. The 24 recommendations set out in the report ‑ supported by areas for improvement ‑ provide a clear pathway to enhance professional standards, improve confidence in conduct and disciplinary arrangements, and embed a more preventative and learning‑focused culture across Police Scotland and the SPA.

Craig Naylor
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary
March 2026