This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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HM Inspector of Constabulary annual report
01/11/2005
The annual report of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary was published today.
In his second report, Andrew Brown has found that the overall picture of policing in Scotland is one of positive progress and highlights key areas where advances have been made.
However he has also examined challenges faced by the service in the past year, including the impact and introduction of the new the victim-orientated Scottish Crime Recording Standard which has lead to increases in the number of minor crimes recorded, including fire-raising and vandalism, and a slight decrease in the police clear-up rate.
Today's report also shows that:
- During the past year, the service has ensured that appropriate working practices, structures and technical systems are in place to meet the Bichard enquiry's recommendations in relation to IT, information management and the protection of children
- Airwave, a UK project to introduce digital radio communications, is already bringing benefits to the police service, providing better sound quality, coverage and encryption
- Initial inspections and reviews show the service has welcomed the opportunity to devise joint strategies with other local partners to tackle ASB. While it is too early to gauge the full impact of those efforts, early successes have included the first use of dispersal powers by Grampian Police and the fixed penalty notice pilot for minor offences and disorder in Tayside
- Useful work continues on efforts to reduce police time spent in court, with Lothian and Borders carrying out a pilot scheme in Edinburgh. However, this is an area where a continued search for improvement is necessary
- Good progress is being made to improve road safety, with the Executive already reaching its target to half the number of children killed and seriously injured by 2010
The report also summarises major developments in police reform, community planning, performance management and Freedom of Information, as well as personnel issues, such as recruitment and diversity in the police service.
Mr Brown said:
"In last year's annual report I issued a health warning about the future crime figures and the anticipated impact of the SCRS. A broad view suggests that the figures published last week are in line with anticipated trends, with those crimes which were expected to show the most marked increases - fire-raising, vandalism and petty thefts - doing so.
"Clearly, the most major challenge for the service in the past year was planning for the policing of G8 - the biggest policing operation ever in Scotland and which required co-ordination across all eight forces, and co-operation from other forces throughout the UK.
"Other key developments this year have been the introduction of Airwave, the new digital radio communication which is already bringing benefits to the service in Scotland, continued efforts to develop joint working arrangements with public sector partnerships - for example in tackling antisocial behaviour, and on-going work to address the recommendations in the Bichard Report.
"The service also continues to give serious attention to matters of diversity. Revelations such as those in the BBC documentary 'The Secret Policeman' which identified serious issues of racism among police recruits in England can significantly dent public confidence. In Scotland, the Commission for Racial Equality, with the co-operation of the service, commissioned a review to look at race equality. This made 67 recommendations which will need to be taken forward but also acknowledged the considerable efforts in the service in Scotland and reported that the recommendations did not reflect a process that was failing.
"There will be always scope for improvement and HMIC has made a number of recommendations during the year aimed at improving the delivery of policing in Scotland. However, we have found that forces and organisations are generally efficient and delivering good quality services to the public in their efforts to fight crime and create safer, stronger communities."
HMIC has a statutory duty to report to Scottish Ministers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the police service in Scotland. This duty is discharged through primary and review inspections of forces and common police services, and also through conducting thematic inspections on areas of particular interest or concern.
Each year, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary also publishes an annual report looking back at the various inspections during the past year and other significant developments in relation to policing in Scotland.