Quality Assurance
An Overview
Under s42 of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006, the Commissioner has general functions: to secure the maintenance of suitable arrangements for the handling of relevant complaints by each of the relevant authorities; to keep them under review; and ensure that the arrangements are efficient and effective, have an appropriate degree of independence, and are adhered to.
To make sure this occurs, the Commissioner and his team work with all stakeholders to achieve effective and customer focussed, police complaints handling arrangements. Reviews are also conducted in line with the PCCS audit policy, to ensure that the arrangements are maintained.
Within this page you will find information and regular updates on the Quality Assurance work being carried out by the Commissioner and his team, as outlined in the PCCS Business Plan 2010 - 2011.
Current on-going projects include:
- Statutory guidance - From sanctions to solutions
- a PCCS audit of Police Boards and Authorities - Holding to account
- the annual statistical return in relation to complaints, from all of the relevant authorities
- on-going work with HM Revenue and Customs regarding a memorandum of understanding
- working with the complaints review team on the lessons learned, and quality matters bulletins for the police service.
-
working with the Police Advisory Board technical working group - conduct working party, on the re-drafting of the Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations
From sanctions to solutions - Statutory guidance launch
The Commissioner has now launced statutory guidance on police complaint handling. To read more click here>>>
Consultation launch
On Tuesday 16 November, the PCCS launched statutory guidance on police complaint handling for consultation. The launch was held at Hamilton Town Hall and was well attended by most of the police forces, other bodies with police type powers operating in Scotland, and police boards and authorities.
Following an introduction by the Commissioner, the Chair of the Police Advisory Board for Scotland technical working group - conduct working party, outlined the work which he has been taking forward to develop proposals for new complaints and conduct legislation, and how this ties in with the statutory guidance. This was followed by an overview of the guidance from the PCCS Quality Assurance Officer. The event was rounded off by the Director of PCCS, informing the delegates of the next steps, and then chairing a question and answer session. All questions were noted and will be considered during the consultation process.
The consultation process lasted for eight weeks, ending on 11 January 2011.
The consultation responses were drawn together and considered, before the final publication of the statutory guidance in mid March. The consultation responses (where agreed by the respondednt) are now published on the website.
Holding to account - police board and authorities oversight audit
Following receipt of questionnaire responses from all eight boards or authorities, as well as the British Transport Police Authority who were used as a benchmark, the responses were collated and an options paper devised for the Commissioner's attention.
After discussion with the Commissioner it was decided that all of the boards and authorities should be visited.
This would allow for:
- additional questions to be put to the boards or authorities where necessary,
- any questions or comments from the boards or authorities to be addressed,
- the next stages to be outlined, and
- the emerging issues from the questionnaire to be discussed.
These visits were all carried out in October / November 2010. The Commissioner's office met with the most relevant representatives of the boards or authorities in respect of complaints and oversight. Further to these visits a draft report was completed for the Commissioner's attention, then issued to the police boards and authorities for comment.
The final report has now been completed. To read the report click below:
Memorandum of Understanding with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
The parameters have now been agreed for a memorandum of understanding between PCCS and HMRC, and the drafting of this is now underway. This MOU will relate to non-criminal complaints about HMRC staff with police-like powers, who are operating in Scotland.
Joint letter PCCS and COPFS MOU
A memorandum of understanding has now been signed between the PCCS and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The purpose of the memorandum is to confirm the steps that the PCCS will take when a complaint is received which includes an allegation of an act or omission which constitutes a crime; and to make sure that the PCCS does not prejudice any criminal investigation by the Crown Office, but still ensuring that the PCCS is able to carry out his statutory functions. The document has now been circulated to all relevant authorities. Agreement between COPFS and the PCCS
Follow up audits
In December, the PCCS began a follow-up to the audit of Northern Constabulary complaints analysis and recording. This follow-up examined the progress the force has made in addressing the agreed action plan response to the audit report's recommendations. It specifically looked at whether a formal audit process had been implemented to ensure complaints which are received at local command level are properly identified and recorded. The folow up also aimed to ensure that complainers are given a clear understanding of how complaints about the police are being considered and addressed.
The Commissioner received an updated response from Northern Constabulary, and this was analysed. The necessary fieldwork was carried out in April 2011 with a final report being published in May 2011. To read the report click here>>>
The follow-up to the Assessment of Accessibility of Police Complaint Handling, is now also underway. This follow-up will look at the individual force commitments to improvement and will also look at whether the Scottish Police Service has become more responsive to complainer feedback and identified needs.
A full updated action plan has now been received from most of the forces and the analysis and final report will be completed by the end of May 2011.
Police Complaints: Statistics for Scotland 10/11
The collation of the annual statistical returns from the Scottish Police Service for 2010/11 is now underway. The Commissioner has requested the information from the relevant authorities by the end of April 2011. It is hoped that the final report will be published in October 2011, along with the reports for individual police forces.