Status of all recommendations

Police Scotland should monitor and report on the impact of the use of its powers, under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, on under-represented groups.

Police Scotland should review the use and recording of place of safety orders across the organisation to achieve consistency of approach and ensure that reporting of this is included in performance reports to the SPA.

Police Scotland and the SPA should take steps to establish a clear demand picture for policing mental health.

Police Scotland should, in conjunction with relevant partner organisations, review all Psychiatric Emergency Plans across Scotland and ensure that the police role in dealing with mental health is appropriate, supportive, patient-centred and aligned to Police Scotland’s mental health strategy, once established.

Police Scotland should ensure consistency of approach across all local policing divisional senior management teams on the oversight of local Psychiatric Emergency Plans. 

The Scottish Government should place into legislation the requirement for all Police Scotland officers and staff to obtain and maintain a minimum standard of vetting clearance and the provision for the Chief Constable to dispense with the service of an officer or staff member who cannot maintain suitable vetting.