« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Appendix B
Methodology and Acknowledgements
Our thematic reports are prepared after careful and focused scrutiny of the subject matter. Further details of our inspection methodology can be found on our website, but in brief it typically consists of a set of initial written questions directed at forces and police services, followed up with fieldwork visits and interviews. In addition we consult other organisations and individuals with a professional interest or excellence in the area. The result is a concise report that presents our overall findings, highlights good practice and puts forward a set of recommendations for improvement.
The project initiation document ( PID) was adapted from our standard inspection format based on the European Foundation for Quality Management ( EFQM) model. It was sent, together with a set of inspection questions, to each of the Scottish forces and the Scottish Police Services Authority ( SPSA). We also circulated the PID to, and invited comments from, the following organisations: ACPOS secretariat, the various police service staff associations, clerks to police boards and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives ( SOLACE).
Fieldwork interviews with staff in central departments and operational divisions were conducted in all forces. We are grateful for the valuable assistance of the nominated liaison officers who co-ordinated these interviews, and to all who took part in the inspection. We are also grateful for the helpful contributions we received from other organisations and departments whom we consulted during the inspection. These included the following: police and police-related ( ACPOS NIM development team, ACPOS Community Safety, Police Service of Northern Ireland ( PSNI) policing board, Merseyside police authority); local government (Audit Scotland, East Ayrshire community planning partnership, COSLA); the Scottish Government (National Standards for Community Engagement team, the National Community Safety Co-ordinating team, Justice Analytical Services); academic (Scottish Institute for Policing Research ( SIPR), University of Newcastle, University of Edinburgh); other public sector (Scottish Community Development Centre ( SCDC), Victim Support Scotland, Scottish Consumer Council); and other professional bodies (the Consultation Institute, the International Association for Public Participation ( IAP2)).
In the final report we have described the practices we observed during this inspection. Where we felt that what we observed was particularly innovative or robust we have highlighted this as good practice. We also identified specific opportunities for further improvement, which we have set out in four recommendations.
The inspection was carried out by Dr Emma Fossey of HMICS and Ms Hayley Kelly on secondment from Grampian Police, supported by other HMICS staff, under the direction of Malcolm R Dickson QPM, the then HM Assistant of Constabulary.
« Previous | Contents | Next »