Agenda Document Pack - Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee - 02/05/2024
Moray Council · 2 May 2024
Back to Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee — 2 May 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee Thursday, 02 May 2024 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee is to be held at Council Chambers, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX on Thursday, 02 May 2024 at 14:00. BUSINESS 1. Sederunt 2. Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests * 3. Minute of meeting held 8 February 2024 5 - 8 4. Written Questions ** 5. Police Interim Perfomance Report Report by Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie, Divisional Police Commander, North East Division, Police Scotland 9 - 18 6. Proportionate Response to Crime Project - Evaluation Report Report by Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie, Divisional Police Commander, North East Division, Police Scotland 19 - 94 7. Thematic Report - Road Safety and Casualty Reduction Report by Chief Inspector Chris Kerr and Inspector Lorraine Mackie, Police Scotland 95 - 100 8. Thematic Report - Road Traffic Collisions and Road Safety Initiatives in Moray Report by LSO Andrew Wright, Local Senior Officer, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray 101 - 114 Page 1
Page 2
Summary of Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee functions: The following functions of the Council shall stand referred or delegated to this Committee: (1) To deal with all matters relating to Police and Fire and Rescue Services in Moray. (2) To participate in consultations relative to national strategic plans and priorities for the Police and Fire and Rescue Services. (3) To work with the Local Police Commander and the Local Senior Officer for the Fire and Rescue Service to set priorities and objectives for Local Police Plans and Local Fire and Rescue Plans for Moray. (4) To monitor delivery of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services in Moray, providing feedback and making recommendations for improvements as required. (5) To call for reports from the Local Police Commander or the Local Senior Officer for the Fire and Rescue Service on issues relevant to the delivery of the Police or Fire and Rescue Service in Moray as appropriate. (6) To facilitate Community Planning relative to the Police and Fire and Rescue Services in accordance with statutory guidance. Watching the Meeting You can watch the webcast live by going to: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_43661.html Webcasts are available to view for 1 year following the meeting. You can also attend the meeting in person, if you wish to do so, please come to the High Street entrance door and a member of staff will be let into the building. Page 2
Page 3
GUIDANCE NOTES * Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests - The Chair of the meeting shall seek declarations from any individual or political group at the beginning of a meeting whether any prior decision has been reached on how the individual or members of the group will vote on any item(s) of business on the Agenda, and if so on which item(s). A prior decision shall be one that the individual or the group deems to be mandatory on the individual or the group members such that the individual or the group members will be subject to sanctions should they not vote in accordance with the prior decision. Any such prior decisions will be recorded in the Minute of the meeting. ** Written Questions - Any Member can put one written question about any relevant and competent business within the specified remits not already on the agenda, to the Chair provided it is received by the Proper Officer or Committee Services by 12 noon two working days prior to the day of the meeting. A copy of any written answer provided by the Chair will be tabled at the start of the relevant section of the meeting. The Member who has put the question may, after the answer has been given, ask one supplementary question directly related to the subject matter, but no discussion will be allowed. No supplementary question can be put or answered more than 10 minutes after the Council has started on the relevant item of business, except with the consent of the Chair. If a Member does not have the opportunity to put a supplementary question because no time remains, then he or she can submit it in writing to the Proper Officer who will arrange for a written answer to be provided within 7 working days. Page 3
Page 4
MORAY COUNCIL Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee SEDERUNT Councillor Peter Bloomfield (Chair) Councillor Donald Gatt (Depute Chair) Councillor James Allan (Member) Councillor Theresa Coull (Member) Councillor John Divers (Member) Councillor Jérémie Fernandes (Member) Councillor Paul McBain (Member) Councillor Neil McLennan (Member) Councillor Shona Morrison (Member) Clerk Name: Lindsey Robinson Clerk Telephone: 07966 120593 Clerk Email: committee.services@moray.gov.uk Page 4
Page 5
MORAY COUNCIL Minute of Meeting of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee Thursday, 08 February 2024 Council Chambers, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX PRESENT Councillor James Allan, Councillor Peter Bloomfield, Councillor Theresa Coull, Councillor John Divers, Councillor Jérémie Fernandes, Councillor Donald Gatt, Councillor Paul McBain, Councillor Neil McLennan, Councillor Shona Morrison IN ATTENDANCE Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie; Chief Inspector Mike Mckenzie, both Police Scotland; Andrew Wright, Local Area Commander and Local Senior Officer; David Hendry, Group Commander, both Scottish Fire and Rescue Services; Head of Economic Growth and Development; and Lindsey Robinson, Committee Services Officer, both Moray Council. 1. Chair Councillor Bloomfield, as Chair of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee, chaired the meeting. 2. Tribute The Committee joined the Chair in paying tribute to the emergency services in Moray who have dealt with two extremely traumatic incidents over the last few months, namely the deaths of Kiesha Donaghy in New Elgin in November and Keith Rollinson at Elgin Bus Station last weekend. The Chair reiterated the Police Scotland assurances that Moray is a safe place to live and that he has been heartened by the response locally since theses tragic deaths took place. The Chair thanked the emergency services for conducting their response and investigations professionally and with respect to our communities, adding that it was a stark reminder of the difficult job they do every day. 3. Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests * In terms of Standing Orders 21 and 23 and the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, there were no declarations from Group Leaders or Spokespersons in regard to any prior decisions taken on how Members will vote on any item on the agenda or any declarations of Member’s interests in respect of any item on the agenda. 4. Minute of the meeting held 16 November 2023 The minute of the meeting held 16 November 2023 was submitted and approved. Item 3. Page 5
Page 6
5. Written Questions ** The Committee noted that no written questions had been submitted. 6. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Moray Performance Report 1 April 2023 - 1 January 2024 The meeting had before it a report by the Local Senior Officer, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray informing the Committee of the performance undertaken by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service locally and in respect of the Moray Local Fire and rescue Plan 2021-24. During consideration the Group Commander took members through the report and highlighted the performance in the 6 priority areas. Councillor McLennan sought clarification on the timescale for a report on road traffic collisions. In response the Group commander advised that the report had been delayed due to a change of Local Senior Officer with the Fire Service and a change of Police Chief Inspector but that the report would be available for the next meeting. Following consideration the Committee unanimously agreed to note performance outlined in the report applicable to annual performance for 1 April 2023 to 1 January 2024. 7. Local Fire and Rescue Plan Review 2023 The meeting had before it a report by the Local Senior Officer, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray informing the Committee of the review undertaken by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in respect of the Moray Local Fire and Rescue Plan 2021-24. During consideration the Local Senior Officer advised that the only update to the plan was a change to the wording of Local Priority 6: Emergency Response and Community Resilience to Operational Preparedness and Community Resilience. Councillor Coull sought clarification on the VR headsets and how groups can use these. In response the Local Senior Officer advised that the headsets are used at engagement events with local youth and community groups. They can request a visit and there will be a presentation alongside the use of the headsets. Councillor Gatt sought clarification as to whether there was capacity for home safety visits to go back to pre-pandemic levels. In response the local Senior Officer advised that measures were in place to allow for this. Following consideration the Committee unanimously agreed to note the review outlined in the report applicable to the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Moray 2021- 2024 including the revised wording. Page 6
Page 7
8. Police Performance The meeting had before it a report by the Chief Superintendent, Divisional Police Commander, North East Division, Police Scotland informing the Committee of the performance of Police in respect of the Local Policing Plan 2023-26. The Chief Superintendent introduced Chief Inspector Mike McKenzie to the Committee and thanked Chief Inspector Simon Reid for his support. During consideration the Chief Superintendent took the Committee through the Local Policing Policies. Councillor Coull sought clarification on modern slavery and human trafficking in the construction industry and whether it was a problem in Moray. In response the Chief Superintendent advised that there had been instances in Moray, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire so it does happen here and not just in the bigger cities. Councillor Divers sought clarification as to whether bus passes would be withdrawn for those found to be abusing the system. In response the Chief Superintendent advised that it was not productive to link the free bus travel to anti-social behaviour as the majority of people using the bus passes are benefiting from it. Following consideration the Committee unanimously agreed to: i. note performance outlined in the reports; ii. note that the Local Commander will continue to report to the Committee quarterly on performance measures against service objectives as articulated in the 2023-26 Local Policing Plan; and iii. a report on Road Safety being brought to a future committee. 9. Question Time *** The Committee noted that no further questions were asked. Page 7
Page 8
Page 8
Page 9
REPORT TO: POLICE AND FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES COMMITTEE SUBJECT: POLICE PERFORMANCE BY: CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT GRAEME MACKIE, DIVISIONAL POLICE COMMANDER, NORTH EAST DIVISION, POLICE SCOTLAND 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To inform the Committee of the performance of Police in respect of the Local Policing Plan 2023-26. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III (J) (4) of the Council’s Scheme of Administration relating to the monitoring of delivery of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services in Moray. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Police and Fire & Rescue Services Committee: - (i) scrutinise performance outlined in the report; and (ii) note that the Local Commander will continue to report to the Committee quarterly on performance measures against service objectives as articulated in the 2023-26 Local Policing Plan. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 The Moray Local Policing Plan 2023-26 was submitted to this Committee for consultation in November 2022. The consultation ended in early February 2023 and the Plan has been in operation since 1 April 2023. Following discussion with the Chair the Plan was retrospectively approved at Committee on 4 May 2023. 3.2 Section 47(2) of the Police and Fire Reform Act 2012 states "a local police plan is a plan which: - a. sets out the main priorities and objectives for the policing of the local authority's area. Item 5. Page 9
Page 10
OFFICIAL b. where reasonably practicable, identifies outcomes by reference to which the achievement of those priorities and objectives may be measured." 3.3 The performance update (Appendix 1) provides those outcomes, as per Section 47(2)(d) of the Act, for the Moray Council Area. In addition, it is supported with further key indicators to assist context of the outcomes of the Local Policing Plan. 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Moray 2026: A Plan for the Future and Moray Corporate Plan 2015 – 2017 The Moray Council's responsibilities with regards to the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 are directly relevant to Community Planning and the Single Outcome Agreement. (b) Policy and Legal This report is presented to the Moray Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee within its remit for local scrutiny of the Police. (c) Financial implications There are no identified financial implications. (d) Risk Implications There are no identified risk implications. (e) Staffing Implications There are no identified staffing implications. (f) Property Not applicable. (g) Equalities Not applicable. (h) Consultations The Local Policing Plan, upon which the performance is reporting, was subject to consultation with elected representatives, and was heavily influenced by ongoing feedback from local communities within the Moray Council area. Page 10
Page 11
OFFICIAL 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 This interim report informs the Committee of the performance of Police in respect of the Local Policing Plan 2023-26. Author of Report: Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie Divisional Commander North East Division Police Scotland Background Papers: • Interim Performance Report Page 11
Page 12
Page 12
Page 13
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Performance against Local Policing Plan 2023-26 North East Division Moray Interim report Item 5. Page 13
Page 14
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Page 14
Page 15
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Executive Summary Protecting Vulnerable People Work to reduce violence against women and girls continues and is a priority area for Policing in Moray. In relation to tackling Domestic Abuse, the Safe and Together training programme promotes trauma informed practice with a focus on keeping children together with their non-offending parent. This continues to be rolled out amongst Police and partner agencies across the region. Year to date, detection rates relating to Domestic Abuse within North East Division when compared to last year have increased. They are also higher, year to date, than the detection rate nationally. Robust governance and scrutiny over the investigation of such offences by line managers continues. Similarly, detection rates for Rapes have increased in the Division when compared to last year’s figures, and against the national figures. Our commitment to the thorough investigation of sexual crimes is resolute. The Joint Inspection of Services for Children and Young People at risk of harm ongoing in Moray has now concluded with the final report having been published. As a partnership we are proud of the progress we have made in some key areas including our initial response to Child Protection matters. We are in the process of jointly designing our improvement plan for areas which continue to develop. We are committed to working together to ensure that children and families in Moray receive a consistently high standard of service at a time of need. The SCIM team, who provide the trauma informed approach to the needs of children within a Child Protection investigation, continue to deliver an excellent service. In the last quarter, they have carried out over 90% of the Joint Investigative Interviews within Moray which continues to far exceed the initial proposal of 60%. The annual review will be available by the end of May 2024. During this reporting period, we have been working closely with Moray Council’s Resettlement Team, Mears Housing and our communities to support refugees who are arriving in the UK under the various Government visa schemes and those seeking asylum in the UK. Our work in this area seeks to help address prejudicial narratives and to provide advice, reassurance and to overcome barriers with those arriving in the UK to ensure all our communities feel safe and settled. We work directly with the asylum-seeking communities and our input is key to ensuring this group understand our laws and good citizenship. Our work to build trust across our diverse communities continues through direct engagement and attendance at events, such as Holocaust Memorial Day in January, and we continue to promote our hate crime campaign, developed in conjunction with GREC, locally, which aims to raise awareness of how to report. In March 2024, our Crime Reduction Team launched its annual Fraud Roadshow which will tour the North East, including locations throughout Moray. The launch event saw Police Scotland and British Transport Police Officers’ team up with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland to travel on trains across the region and provide the latest advice to passengers on fraud and scam prevention. Our Officers will continue to visit groups, commercial premises and host events to reach those vulnerable to exploitation and have more recently teamed up with Royal Bank of Scotland to go out and about with their mobile banking bus to reach vulnerable people in our more remote rural communities. Page 15
Page 16
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Our Children and Young Persons team continue to work with partners to seek preventative strategies to protect our vulnerable young people and divert them away from the Criminal Justice system. Officers have recently established a Kinship Care Group in Moray to upskill foster parents and carers on topic such as knife crime, drugs, sex and the law, and internet safety to provide them with greater confidence to discuss sensitive issues with children in their care. Our Officers are also working to reduce the instances of vulnerable people being reported missing in Moray. Once traced, people who have been missing will be contacted following their return and signposted toward support organisation. We are also working closely with care establishments for older people and children and associated support groups to promote the Herbert and Philomena Protocols, which provide Officers with instant lines of enquiry should someone vulnerable go missing. Serious Organised Crime As part of our objective to divert people away from Serious Organised Crime and detecting those involved in Serious Organised Crime, ‘Operation Protector’ Days of Action were undertaken in February in Moray. Supported by a number of departments within Police Scotland alongside various external partners such as Arrows (Quarriers) and NHS Grampian, multi-agency staff were deployed to tackle drug related harm. As a result, 223 safeguarding visits were undertaken with a number of individuals being integrated into support services. These days of action also saw Officers and third sector partners carry out engagement at secondary schools in Buckie and Elgin, providing them with information and advice in respect of drugs and the wider risks of cuckooing and exploitation through drug dealing and County Lines. In addition, a further day of action was undertaken in Moray on 6 March 2024 as part of County Lines intensification week. In January, Police Scotland facilitated Child Criminal Exploitation CPD for Professionals, which was delivered by Future Voices and funded via the three Local Authorities Child Protection Committees. The event provided training for over 200 professionals with 97% of participants saying the training would increase confidence in the assessment and intervention with children, families and networks affected by exploitation. Antisocial Behaviour, Violence and Disorder The number of Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) related calls to Police in Moray has remained linear since 2021/2022 with only a small increase from last year (3336 compared to 3247). A bespoke Data Dashboard has been created which will allow us to interrogate and interpret live data for ASB including the identification of repeat perpetrators, victims, and locations to proactively target offenders, safeguard victims and prevent further incidents or escalation. Various professionals’ groups within the Moray Community Safety Partnership have been restructured and developed to provide a more collaborative approach to tackle emerging trends, areas of risk and community issues which are protracted/long standing. A new reporting process for the Community Safety Hub sees the introduction of all partners contributing data to ensure intervention can be initiated at the earliest opportunity for those involved or who are on the periphery of ASB, Violence or Disorder, whilst also looking to safeguard individuals who are vulnerable to exploitation. The early identification of emerging trends or risk areas/individuals and the sharing of data across statutory and third sector organisations ensures prevention, diversion and enforcement action can be taken by the lead agency with input from practitioners. The work includes identifying contributory Page 16
Page 17
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL factors of ASB and Disorder and utilising the appropriate referral pathways to address these factors whether it be mental health or substance use. The recently formed ASB Tasking and Co-ordinating Group has reviewed data in respect of Youth ASB and multi-agency community reassurance patrols and community engagement will be undertaken at hot spots from April 2024. It is hoped the ‘hot spot’ deployments will be the springboard for the identification of a long-term sustainable solution to Youth ASB in Moray which has featured heavily for several years. Road Safety and Road Crime Considerable focus remains on reducing the number of fatal collisions involving older drivers under the Fitness to Drive programme as part of the Older Road User Group in line with the targets set out in Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030. This Group reviews trends, data, and anecdotal evidence to identify current and emerging opportunities to improve Road Safety for older road users. A new and updated Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system has been installed across the Road Policing fleet which has enhanced capability and has provided increased detection rates in respect of general road traffic offences. Officers are routinely deployed on an intelligence led basis across the road network to target wider criminal use of the roads such as the supply of controlled drugs and those involved in acquisitive crime. The recent Festive Drink Drive Campaign was resourced with Officers from Road Policing, Community Policing Teams and other National resources to coordinate proactivity to tackle the issue of drink/drug driving offences on Moray’s roads. The number of offences detected has seen a slight increase on previous years which is linked to increased capacity and capability for roadside ‘drug wipe’ testing which identifies intoxication through controlled drugs. Acquisitive Crime North East Division continues to focus on preventative strategies for the reduction of acquisitive crime by working with partners and identifying locations where acquisitive crime is most likely to occur. During the period, the Crime Reduction Team have been working with rural partners through the North East Partnership Against Rural Crime to target harden our rural communities who are often targeted by organised criminal gangs. They have been working with farmers over the winter months to improve preventative signage across the region and providing advice to farmers on how to make their farm premises more hostile to intruders. Our Rural Security Guide and Rural Online Security Guide have been revised and has been distributed via partners across Moray. They sit alongside several other preventative guides, like the Student Safety Guide, the Student Online Safety Guide, the Bike Security Guide and the Motorcycle Safety Guide, which are regularly recirculated to relevant communities. The Crime Reduction Team have been visiting retailers across the region to provide advice around preventing shoplifting and have been training staff about personal safety. This preventative approach increases confidence amongst shop workers and is targeted throughout the year to different retail types, linked to seasonal demands. Alongside this, they have developed a Retail Security Guide which is provided alongside the visits. In January, Crime Reduction worked alongside the National Rural Crime team and Scottish Partnership against Acquisitive Crime regarding tool, plant, and equipment theft prevention. The Page 17
Page 18
OFFICIAL OFFICIAL event took place at Highland Industrial Supplies, Elgin. Over 100 tradespeople and business owners engaged and were provided with advice and guidance. Crime Reduction Officers alongside Officers from the Divisional Cyber Enabled Crime Team, Trading Standards, and other partners have provided several inputs on current scams and frauds along with promotion of Fraud Prevention amongst different demographics. These events were presented to the public and businesses alike with engagements in Elgin, Keith and Buckie. Counter Terrorism & Domestic Extremism The North East CONTEST Multi-Agency Board and associated sub-groups continue to deliver the UK National CONTEST strategy across the North East of Scotland. The Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare (4P’s) principles of CONTEST are the continued focus of the strategy which aims to reduce the risks from terrorism. Our Local CONTEST Liaison Officers and Specialist Officers maintain strong links with relevant sites and venues within Moray, delivering Counter Terrorism related training, testing site plans and making improvements to emergency response procedures. We also continue to work closely with the Armed Forces at Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth to make and test plans for responses to terrorism related incidents. Page 18
Page 19
REPORT TO: POLICE AND FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES COMMITTEE SUBJECT: POLICE SCOTLAND PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE TO CRIME PROJECT – EVALUATION REPORT BY: CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT GRAEME MACKIE, DIVISIONAL POLICE COMMANDER, NORTH EAST DIVISION, POLICE SCOTLAND 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To inform the Committee of the evaluation report with respect to the Police Scotland Proportionate Response to Crime project, which was piloted in North East Division and previously discussed at this Committee. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III (J) (4) of the Council’s Scheme of Administration relating to the monitoring of delivery of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services in Moray. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Police and Fire & Rescue Services Committee: - (i) scrutinise performance outlined in the report; and (ii) note that the Local Commander will continue to report to the Committee quarterly on performance measures against service objectives as articulated in the 2023-26 Local Policing Plan. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 The Moray Local Policing Plan 2023-26 was submitted to this Committee for consultation in November 2022. The consultation ended in early February 2023 and the Plan has been in operation since 1 April 2023. Following discussion with the Chair the Plan was retrospectively approved at Committee on 4 May 2023. 3.2 Section 47(2) of the Police and Fire Reform Act 2012 states "a local police plan is a plan which: - Item 6. Page 19
Page 20
OFFICIAL a. sets out the main priorities and objectives for the policing of the local authority's area. b. where reasonably practicable, identifies outcomes by reference to which the achievement of those priorities and objectives may be measured." 3.3 The evaluation report (Appendix 1) provides those outcomes within the context of the Proportionate Response to Crime project, as per Section 47(2)(d) of the Act, for the Moray Council Area. 3.4 The evaluation report was presented at the Scottish Police Authority Police Performance Committee on 12 March and is also available here (at item 4): Policing Performance Committee - 12 March 2024 | Scottish Police Authority (spa.police.uk). 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Moray 2026: A Plan for the Future and Moray Corporate Plan 2015 – 2017 The Moray Council's responsibilities with regards to the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 are directly relevant to Community Planning and the Single Outcome Agreement. (b) Policy and Legal This report is presented to the Moray Police and Fire and Rescue Services Committee within its remit for local scrutiny of the Police. (c) Financial implications There are no identified financial implications. (d) Risk Implications There are no identified risk implications. (e) Staffing Implications There are no identified staffing implications. (f) Property Not applicable. (g) Equalities Not applicable. Page 20
Page 21
OFFICIAL (h) Consultations The Local Policing Plan, which this report relates to, was subject to consultation with elected representatives, and was heavily influenced by ongoing feedback from local communities within the Moray Council area. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 This report informs the Committee of the evaluation report with respect to the Police Scotland Proportionate Response to Crime project. Author of Report: Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie Divisional Commander North East Division Police Scotland Background Papers: • Proportionate Response to Crime project evaluation report Page 21
Page 22
Page 22
Page 23
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 1 Meeting Policing Performance Committee Date 12 March 2024 Location Video Conference Title of Paper North East Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot Evaluation Presented By ACC Emma Bond Recommendation to Members For Discussion Appendix Attached Appendix 1: Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot – Evaluation Report Appendix 2: Process Map Appendix 3: Case Studies Appendix 4: Insight Pack PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to invite Members of the Policing Performance Committee to discuss the evaluation report relating to the 12 week Proportionate Response to Crime pilot which took place within North East Division. Members are invited to discuss the content of this report. Agenda Item 4.1 Item 6. Page 23
Page 24
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 2 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 In August 2022, activity commenced within the Contact Engagement & Resolution Project to progress work to develop a national Proportionate Response to Crime process. The Contact Engagement & Resolution Project is focused on improving standards of service through Police Scotland’s response to vulnerability, risk and public need at the earliest opportunity; maximising opportunities for remote engagement and resolution; reducing Local Policing demand and directing appropriate incidents to the right agency through pathway referrals and enhanced collaborative working. 1.2 In May 2023, the Modernised Contact & Engagement Programme Board approved the Contact Engagement & Resolution Project’s recommendation that a Proportionate Response to Crime process should be piloted within North East Division over a 12-week period. The pilot was developed in collaboration with Contact, Command and Control Division, the Divisional Crime Management Unit in the North East and Local Policing colleagues. 1.3 Between 28 September and 19 November 2023, the newly developed Proportionate Response to Crime process was piloted within North East Division. 1.4 During the pilot, incidents with low associated threat, harm, risk or vulnerability were assessed for investigative opportunities whilst crime reports were obtained via telephone by C3 Division. Where no proportionate lines of enquiry were identified, crime reports were sent to North East Division with a recommendation that they were direct filed. 1.5 An evaluation of the North East Division pilot has been completed (see appendix 1). The evaluation recommends that Police Scotland roll out the Proportionate Response to Crime process across the rest of the Force. We intend to progress this on a phased basis with ongoing engagement and evaluation. 2. Proportionate Response to Crime 2.1 The concept of a Proportionate Response to Crime process is not new, indeed several legacy Forces, mainly in the east and north of Scotland operated a ‘Proportionate Enquiry Policy’ prior to the establishment of Police Scotland. Page 24
Page 25
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 3 2.2 Prior to the role out of the Contact Assessment Model (CAM), some local policing divisions allowed crime reports obtained over the phone by the Public Assistance Desks to be directly filed. What is Proportionate Response to Crime? 2.3 Firstly, Proportionate Response to Crime is not a policy of non- investigation. When an incident is reported to Police Scotland it is subjected to a THRIVE process, where an assessment of Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative opportunity, Vulnerability and Engagement is undertaken – where any vulnerability is identified the police will always attend. Crimes with low associated threat, harm, risk or vulnerability are recorded remotely via telephone following the THRIVE assessment. This is called Direct Crime Recording or DCR, and is one of the resolution options available to Contact, Command and Control Service Advisors as part of the Contact Assessment Model. 2.4 There are approximately 95,000 Direct Crime Rerecording reports taken annually across Police Scotland, with such reports recorded by members of police staff and police officers working within the Resolution Team within our Contact, Command & Control Division via an appointment system. 2.5 Proportionate Response to Crime is an additional process, over and above the THRIVE assessment, where we carry out a structured initial investigative assessment of a crime when it is reported to the police. This process allows a much earlier assessment around lines of enquiry, which could include availability of CCTV, or witnesses to a crime. 2.6 Assessing the existence, or otherwise, of proportionate investigative opportunities within reported crimes already takes place on a daily case-by-case basis across the country. The Proportionate Response to Crime process essentially moves that assessment to an earlier point within the crime investigation process. Proportionate Response to Crime Process 2.7 The process tested in North East Division was only applicable to certain crime reports recorded by the Resolution Team within our Contact, Command & Control Division as part of the Direct Crime Recording Process. Page 25
Page 26
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 4 2.8 Every applicable crime report recorded by the Resolution Team was subject of an initial investigative assessment whilst the crime report was being recorded. 2.9 Where the Resolution Team assessed that there were no proportionate lines of enquiry, the reporter was advised that, although the crime report would be sent to their local policing division for review and assessment, it was unlikely the crime report would be allocated for enquiry and as such there was unlikely to be any further police contact. This process means callers are informed about the progress of their report more quickly, rather than waiting days for officers to contact them to provide the same outcome. 2.10 Crime reports assessed as having no proportionate lines of enquiry were fully updated with the circumstances of the crime, the review of investigative opportunities and were then sent to the North East Division Crime Management Unit with a recommendation that they were directly filed. 2.11 Police officers within the North East Division Crime Management Unit reviewed all crime reports recommended for direct filing and made their own divisional assessment as to whether or not the crime report should be allocated or filed. 2.12 Crime reports directly filed were fully visible to Local Area Command teams, affording them the opportunity to review the circumstances and allocate filed crime reports based on local knowledge. Evaluation Results 2.13 During the 12 week pilot, 472 crime report were directly filed. This equates to 4.6% of all crimes recorded within North East Division during the pilot period. 2.14 The direct filing of 472 crime reports freed up an estimated 2,657 police officer hours. In taking a proportionate response to crime reporting, we aim to give officers more time to focus on local policing priorities - keeping people safe from harm, protecting the vulnerable, bringing criminals to justice, solving problems, and reducing offending. 2.15 To support the evaluation of the pilot, the project team worked with Strategy, Insight & Engagement to obtain the views of the public, police officers and police staff. Page 26
Page 27
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 5 2.16 Prior to commencing the pilot, 72% of North East Division Constables reported they would regularly be allocated crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed. 2.17 At the conclusion of the pilot, 68% of North East Division Constables noticed a positive difference to their workload and 56% of Constables felt they had more time to investigate crime reports which had proportionate lines of enquiry. 2.18 The Proportionate Response to Crime process has continued to be used within North East Division. 2.19 Since the introduction of the process, public satisfaction rates in the Division have remained at a similar level, with a 66% satisfaction rate prior to the introduction of PRTC and a 64% rate recorded after three months. 2.20 The Police Scotland User Experience Survey is conducted to help us understand the experiences of the people who have contacted Police Scotland. Each month we contact about 14,000 people at random who have either reported or witnessed a minor crime. 2.21 The most recent User Experience Survey results for North East Division are as follows: Nov 23 Dec 23 Jan 24 Feb 24 Overall Satisfaction 65% 69% 73% 70% Receiving Appropriate Response 57% 65% 71% 71% 2.22 Contact, Command & Control Division Management are confident that following the Proportionate Response to Crime process is achievable within the existing process time available to process a Direct Crime Recording incident / appointment and record a crime report. 2.23 Any further roll out of the process should not therefore result in a reduction in the number of available Direct Crime Recording appointments, nor require an uplift in the number of police officers and staff working within the Resolution Team. 3. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 3.1 The test of change within North East Division aims to ensure callers will be informed about the progress of their report more quickly, rather than waiting days for officers to contact them to inform them of the same outcome. In turn and by adopting this process, we aim Page 27
Page 28
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 6 to provide front-line officers more time to focus on local policing priorities - keeping people safe from harm, protecting the vulnerable, bringing criminals to justice, solving problems, and reducing offending, making best use of the resources available to Police Scotland in line with our budget. There are no specific financial costs associated with the process tested. 4. PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS 4.1 The test of change within North East Division was available only to colleagues within our Contact, Command & Control Division, and is aligned to the existing Direct Crime Recording option managed by the Resolution Team. Engagement has been ongoing with Contact, Command & Control Division before, during and since the pilot and as a key stakeholder in the evaluation group, to ensure the process has no unintended consequences for officers and staff within the division. There are no personnel implications associated with this report, with colleagues within our Resolution Team now being provided with a structured investigatory question set and associated training to support them in their role. 5. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 5.1 There are no legal implications in this report. 6. REPUTATIONAL IMPLICATIONS 6.1 There is a reputational risk to Police Scotland in terms of how any proposed implementation of this process is managed. As outlined below at section 8, public trust and confidence in policing is of critical importance to our legitimacy. A detailed communications plan has been developed and engagement with a wide range of key stakeholders is ongoing to ensure the service is clear on the nature of the process, what it means to members of the public contacting Police Scotland, and to shape any implementation by listening to the views of the public and our people. 7. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS 7.1 There are no social implications in this report. 8. COMMUNITY IMPACT 8.1 Police Scotland is acutely aware of the reporting on the pilot in North East Division, and the impact this has on both local communities and people right across the country. In order to ensure the thoughts and Page 28
Page 29
Policing Performance Committee Proportionate Response to Crime – Evaluation Report 12 March 2024 OFFICIAL OFFICIAL 7 views of those engaging in the pilot were captured, both internally and externally, the project team worked closely with our Strategy, Insights and Engagement Team to analyse data from the User Experience and Your Police surveys to provide further insight into the impact of the pilot. There are only minor percentage differences in responses to relevant User Experience survey questions. These include responses before and during the pilot in North East Division and in comparison with national responses. Only a small number of qualitative responses referenced the pilot in the Your Police Survey. In addition, Police Scotland commissioned a private company to undertake an additional qualitative strand of research into the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot through progressive focus groups, with the learning from such engagement supporting the engagement plan moving forward. It would be our intention to continue to work closely with Strategy, Insights & Engagement to capture feedback from those engaged in the process and address any concerns at the earliest opportunity. We want to remain open and transparent from the outset with people contacting the police. If there are no lines of enquiry to pursue, we do not want to set an expectation that there are things that the police can do when no lines of enquiry exist. 9. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS 9.1 There are no equality implications in this report. Each incident being reported to Police Scotland will be subjected to a THRIVE assessment and where appropriate for Direct Crime Recording, will undergo a further bespoke investigatory assessment relevant to the crime being reported. This approach will allow Police Scotland to continue to focus on the individual caller’s needs in deciding on the most appropriate and proportionate response. 10. ENVIRONMENT IMPLICATIONS 10.1 There no environmental implications in this report. RECOMMENDATIONS Members are invited to discuss the content of this report. Page 29
Page 30
OFFICIAL Page 1 of 17 OFFICIAL Proportionate Response to Crime North East Division Pilot Evaluation Report December 2023 Contact Engagement & Resolution Project Page 30
Page 31
OFFICIAL Page 2 of 17 OFFICIAL Contents 1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Background .............................................................................................................................................. 3 3. Process ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 4. Findings .................................................................................................................................................... 6 5. National Roll Out Projection ................................................................................................................ 16 6. Learning Point ........................................................................................................................................ 16 7. Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 17 8. Appendices ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Version Control and Date V1.2 31 January 2024 Authors PI Andrew Johnson PS Stacey McIntyre Review T/Chief Superintendent Gregg Banks Michael Notaro, Project Manager Superintendent Brian Anderson Approved By Superintendent Brian Anderson Page 31
Page 32
OFFICIAL Page 3 of 17 OFFICIAL 1. Purpose This report provides an evaluation of the 12-week, North East Division (A Division), Proportionate Response to Crime pilot and considers if the process used should be rolled out across Police Scotland. 2. Background 2.1 Proportionate Response to Crime Policy The concept of having a Proportionate Response to Crime investigation policy is not new. Under the legacy force model a number of forces had proportionate enquiry policies or similar. Following the establishment of Police Scotland and prior to the introduction of the Contact Assessment Model (CAM) in 2019, some divisions allowed crime reports obtained over the phone by the Public Assistance Desks to be directly filed. After the introduction of CAM some local policing divisions report that they do not currently allocate every crime report recorded through the C3 Division Direct Crime Recording (DCR) process to front line officers and that some are directly filed with no further enquiry. The concept of proportionate response to crime investigation is not therefore new, but there is no Standard Operating Procedure or National Guidance covering the allocation and filing of crimes recorded by C3 Division. As such currently, the vast majority of local policing divisions reallocate all DCR recorded crimes to local officers to investigate - regardless of the level of investigation required or the proportionality of further investigation. 2.2 Contact Assessment Model In November 2015, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) made a recommendation that Police Scotland should adopt a more formalised risk and vulnerability assessment model based on the THRIVE model (Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation, Vulnerability and Engagement) used extensively in England and Wales. In June 2019, Police Scotland began to implement Phase 1 of CAM encompassing the THRIVE risk assessment model. Following the COVID-19 pandemic a full roll out was expedited and completed in April 2020. The original CAM Business Case outlined the strategic intention and purpose in establishing Resolution Teams was to remove 15% of incident demand from Local Policing. The adoption of CAM changed the way Police Scotland responded to calls from the public; from one bound by policy driven police responses, to one based on the individual assessment of THRIVE for each caller, empowering staff to decide on the most appropriate response. 2.3 Direct Crime Recording Direct Crime Recording is one of the CAM Resolution Options available to C3 Division officers and staff following a THRIVE assessment. DCR involves reports of crime without any immediate vulnerability or investigative imperative that would require local officers to attend the incident at the time. Such crimes can be recorded remotely by C3 Division and submitted onto crime systems to be allocated to local officers for investigation. DCR removes the immediacy of demand for Local Policing, providing an alternative option to sending local officers at the time. Page 32
Page 33
OFFICIAL Page 4 of 17 OFFICIAL When CAM was first rolled out, the scale of DCR was not fully recognised, but emerged during the pandemic due to a need to maximise remote engagement opportunities. Since the inception of CAM there has been a significant increase in the use of DCR which was unforeseen when CAM was first designed and initially rolled out. 2.4 HMICS Assurance Review of CAM In August 2022, HMICS published their assurance review of the Police Scotland Contact Assessment Model. The review focussed on the operational impact of CAM and made a number of recommendations for improvement. Recommendation 4 stated: “Police Scotland should review the working practices and training within the Resolution Teams, particularly in relation to direct crime recording, to provide a more victim-orientated approach and to reduce the number of crime reports being returned to Local Policing Divisions or to other areas for completion.” 2.5 Contact Engagement Resolution Project The Modernised Contact and Engagement (MCE) Programme is a collection of projects designed to deliver on the Contact and Engagement Strategy. MCE aims to create a seamless public experience, enabled by digital services. The Contact Engagement Resolution Project (CERP) is one of the projects within MCE. CERP aims to maximise opportunities for remote engagement and resolution, reducing local policing demand and directing appropriate incidents to the right agency through pathway referrals and enhanced collaborative working. The CERP Full Business Case (FBC) was approved by the Force Change Board in December 2021. The CERP project team have been in place since April 2022. 2.6 Proportionate Response to Crime Proposal / Drivers One of the deliverables outlined within the CERP FBC is to: “Support the development of a Proportionate Response to Crime Policy for minor crime – informing decisions around minor crime based on THRIVE, to reduce duplication of effort and improve service for victims.” Within the summary findings of the FBC it was estimated that implementing a Proportionate Response to Crime policy could remove an estimated 10,500 minor crimes from being allocated to Local Policing for enquiry. 55,015 75,738 95,000 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023STORM Incidents Incidents resolved by DCR Page 33
Page 34
OFFICIAL Page 5 of 17 OFFICIAL The FBC evidenced the requirement for a Proportionate Response to Crime policy and process based on the following user and officer insights around DCR: Lack of investigative considerations by the Resolution Team - requiring local officers to start enquiries from the beginning. Missed opportunities to ask complainers to secure evidence such as CCTV. Victims expressing frustration at having to repeat their reports on multiple occasions. Officers taking statements from every complainer, regardless of how minor the crime or the likelihood of detection. DCR crime reports being allocated for enquiry where there is no further enquiry required. In March 2023, Police Scotland was made aware of their funding allocation for 2023-24 which represented a real terms reduction - meaning more than £50m of savings are required to ensure a balanced budget. This has resulted in a number of changes to service delivery, including a reduction of Police Scotland’s budgeted officer establishment to 16,600. Although the proposal to pilot a Proportionate Response to Crime process was not originally influenced by Police Scotland’s 2023-24 budget allocation, Proportionate Response to Crime has subsequently become one of the measures under consideration to help maintain effective policing for our communities. Taking a proportionate approach to crime will reduce demand, increase capacity and will help in allowing Police Scotland to continue to deliver a high standard of service while responding to growing and increasingly complex individual and community needs, within a tightening financial environment. 2.7 Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot In October 2022, the MCE Programme Board approved a CERP request to commence engagement with local Policing Divisions on Proportionate Response to Crime Investigation. In May 2023, the MCE Programme Board approved CERP’s briefing paper recommending that their newly developed Proportionate Response to Crime process be piloted within North East Division. 3. Process A high-level summary of the Proportionate Response to Crime process followed during the pilot is as follows: All STORM incidents were subject to a THRIVE assessment by a C3 Division Service Advisor. Through this existing process, incidents deemed suitable to be dealt with by DCR were assessed as having low Threat, Harm, Risk and Vulnerability. When noting details for a crime report over the telephone, Resolution Team Assistants (RTA’s) asked investigative questions of the complainer from which they made a recommendation around the crime reports suitability to be directly filed. RTA’s also gave careful consideration to the THRIVE assessment during the DCR process to ensure that any specific needs or vulnerability for the complainer were considered. Where it was assessed that there were no proportionate investigative opportunities, the reporter was advised that, although the crime report will be sent to their local policing division for review and assessment, it was unlikely the crime report would be allocated for enquiry and as such there was unlikely to be any further contact from police. RTA’s thereafter fully updated the crime report with the circumstances of the crime, their review of investigative opportunities and their recommendation around the crimes suitability for direct filing. Crime Page 34
Page 35
OFFICIAL Page 6 of 17 OFFICIAL reports deemed suitable for direct filing were marked accordingly and sent to an RTA supervisor for forwarding to the A Division Crime Management Unit. A Division Crime Management reviewed all DCR crime reports recommended for direct filing and decided if they should be allocated or filed. Crime reports directly filed were fully visible to Local Area Command teams affording them the opportunity to review the circumstances and allocate filed DCR crime reports for local policing officers to investigate based on local knowledge and/or emerging crime trends. A process map detailing the Proportionate Response to Crime process used during the pilot can be viewed in Appendix A. 4. Findings 4.1 Projected Impacts and Benefits The CERP FBC estimated that 15% of DCR crime reports could be directly filed, which equated to around 10,500 crime reports nationally. Further dip sampling of DCR crime reports by the current project team supported the original 15% estimate detailed within the FBC. However, the dip sampling methodology initially used was assessed to be conservative and, where it was unclear within a crime report if a line of enquiry existed or not (due to lack of appropriate questioning of the complainer) those crime reports were recorded as being unsuitable for direct filing. Further qualitative analysis for DCR crime reports by the project team estimated that 80% of all DCR crime reports recorded nationally would fall within the agreed crime type criteria and could be considered for direct filing. In advance of the A Division pilot, the project team delivered basic crime refresher upskill inputs to all Resolution Team Assistants. The inputs reinforced the potential investigative considerations when recording a crime. It also provided a foundation for the development of Proportionate Response to Crime. 4.2 Communications Strategy The relationship between the police service and the people who live, work in and visit Scotland is vital to building trust and confidence that the service will keep people safe. Policing in Scotland is based on the fundamental principle of policing by consent. Throughout the initial consultation phase of the pilot, local policing divisions unanimously expressed a desire for a proactive Communication Strategy to be developed alongside the new process. In the lead up to the pilot commencing, a comprehensive Communication Strategy was developed by Corporate Communications with messaging being released to the media at the start of the pilot, and much of the reporting focusing on a “non-investigation” process. Page 35
Page 36
OFFICIAL Page 7 of 17 OFFICIAL 4.3 Case Studies To aid understanding of the process and the types of scenarios where the Proportionate Response to Crime process has been applied, examples of crime reports recorded during the pilot have been provided within Appendix B. 4.4 Crime Statistics – Outcome The headline crime figures from the 12 week A Division Pilot are as follows: A total of 10,121 crime reports were recorded within A Division 18% (1,773) of those crime reports were recorded by DCR 79% (1,400) of those DCR crime reports met the criteria for Proportionate Response to Crime 519 (37%) of the 1400 crime reports were recommended for direct filing 9% (47) of the crime reports recommended for direct filing were allocated for enquiry by A Division At the time of writing 3 of those 47 allocated crime reports have been solved A Div Sergeants chose to directly file 6 (0.7%) crime reports recommended for allocation 27% (472) of all A Division DCR crime reports were directly filed - this equates to 4.6% of all A Division crime reports It has not been possible to obtain accurate solvency figures to ascertain if the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot has impacted positively or negatively on the A Division solvency rate. This is because a significant number of crime reports allocated for enquiry are still live enquiries which have not yet been concluded. Page 36
Page 37
OFFICIAL Page 8 of 17 OFFICIAL 4.5 Productivity Gains & Demand Reduction One of the potential benefits of a Proportionate Response to Crime policy is to reduce demand on front line officers, thus increasing their capacity to spend time investigating crimes with proportionate lines of enquiry which could subsequently result in the perpetrator being identified. In order to evidence productivity gains and demand reduction, there is a requirement to estimate how many police officer hours could be freed up through a Proportionate Response to Crime policy. There is no specific data available to show the average investigation time for DCR crime reports directly filed under Proportionate Response to Crime (i.e. crime reports that contain no proportionate investigative opportunities). Nevertheless, results from the Demand and Productivity Unit (DPU) ‘Crime Survey’ contain average investigation times for individual offence types. CERP have worked with the DPU and their ‘Crime Survey’ data in order to estimate how many police officer investigation hours have been freed up during the 12-week pilot. The average investigation time for each crime is made up of the following elements: Police Database Searches Door to door enquiry (including travel time to and from) Time spent noting a statement from the witness / complainer (including travel time to and from) Time spent carrying out a CCTV trawl / enquiry (including travel time to and from) Time spent updating the complainer on the progress of the enquiry Time spent updating police systems Based on the DPU Crime Survey data, the 472 crime reports directly filed during the 12-week pilot freed up 2,657 non-cashable Police Officer hours. The non-cashable time savings allow the opportunity for front line officers to focus on other priorities in their local communities. 4.6 Strategy and Insight To support the evaluation of the A Division Proportionate Response to Crime pilot, CERP worked with Strategy, Insight & Engagement to obtain the views of the public and staff on the pilot. Below is a summary of the findings held within the Insight Pack which can be found within Appendix C. Page 37
Page 38
OFFICIAL Page 9 of 17 OFFICIAL Public Survey Key insights from the public survey responses are captured in the following graphs: Page 38
Page 39
OFFICIAL Page 10 of 17 OFFICIAL Page 39
Page 40
OFFICIAL Page 11 of 17 OFFICIAL A Division Staff Survey Key insights from the A Division staff survey responses are captured in the following graphs: Page 40
Page 41
OFFICIAL Page 12 of 17 OFFICIAL Page 41
Page 42
OFFICIAL Page 13 of 17 OFFICIAL C3 Division Staff Survey Key insights from the C3 Division staff survey responses are captured in the following graphs: Page 42
Page 43
OFFICIAL Page 14 of 17 OFFICIALPage 43
Page 44
OFFICIAL Page 15 of 17 OFFICIAL 4.7 User Experience and Your Police Surveys Analysis of data from the User Experience and Your Police surveys was conducted to provide further insight into the impact of the pilot. There are only minor percentage differences in average responses to relevant User Experience survey questions. This includes before and during the pilot in A Division and in comparison with national responses. Only a small number of qualitative responses referenced the pilot in the Your Police Survey. 4.8 Progressive Focus Groups To complement the staff and public surveys detailed above, Police Scotland commissioned a private company to undertake an additional qualitative strand of research into the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot. These insights were obtained via a number of focus groups with Police Officers, Staff and members of the public in North East Division and are summarised below: Public The public broadly understand the pressures facing the police service (limited staff/budget) and that this might necessitate prioritisation of crime. The public worry that the police don’t appreciate the many facets of an individual case that might impact how someone feels about their report being filed and that the police haven’t explored all possible avenues before deciding to file a crime report. The public see Proportionate Response to Crime as part of an ongoing trend of the police retreating from public life and may lead to the police being less aware of what’s happening in their local communities. The benefits of Proportionate Response to Crime must be clearly communicated to the public. Police The police have too much to do and not enough resource to meet demand for services. Police Officers and staff understood why Proportionate Response to Crime had been set up and will lead to improving morale, better managing public expectations and achieve a more efficient use of resources. Police staff felt empowered by the new process and now have greater autonomy in their role. There was a unanimous view that Proportionate Response to Crime should be rolled out across Scotland. The Proportionate Response to Crime process should be extended to other crimes such as fraud and cybercrime. Feedback from officers and staff suggests that the public have responded positively to the pilot. The benefits of Proportionate Response to Crime (increased morale, freeing up time for proactive and responsive policing, and enabling colleagues to focus on the most critical cases and vulnerable people etc.) should be clearly communicated to the public. Page 44
Page 45
OFFICIAL Page 16 of 17 OFFICIAL 5. National Roll Out Projection The following table projects the potential demand reduction and capacity release achievable by rolling the Proportionate Response to Crime process out across Police Scotland. The projection is made on the assumption that the A Division pilot results (27% of all DCR crime reports being directly filed) are replicated in each division. Division Projected DCR CR’s recorded in 12 months Demand Reduction Productivity Release DCR CR’s directly filed Police Officer Investigation hours saved N 2,742 823 4,628 A 7,483 2,245 12,629 D 8,175 2,453 13,797 E 10,686 3,206 18,035 J 5,858 1,757 9,887 C 4,642 1,393 7,834 P 6,212 1,864 10,484 G 14,170 4,251 23,915 Q 8,688 2,606 14,663 U 5,304 1,591 8,952 K 3,972 1,192 6,704 L 1,656 497 2,795 V 1,218 365 2,056 TOTAL 80,806 24,242 136,376 The police officer investigation hours saved have been calculated using the DPU ‘Crime Survey’ results which contain the average investigation times for individual offence types. If achieved, the projected annual police officer investigation hours saved would result in a yearly capacity release of 21.5 hours for every response and community policing constable in each local policing division across Scotland. C3 Division Resolution Team Management are confident that following the Proportionate Response to Crime process is achievable within the existing process time available for Resolution Team Assistants to process a DCR incident / appointment and record a crime report. Rolling out the Proportionate Response to Crime process should not therefore result in a reduction in the number of available DCR appointments nor require an uplift in RT staff. 6. Learning Point 6.1 Learning Points The project team have recorded the following operational learning points which should be factored in to any further roll out plans: 1. Training for Crime Management and RT officers and staff should be delivered in person. 2. Post training Quality Assurance is imperative to the success of the process. 3. Crime Management Units have disparate working practices and staffing levels making it difficult to assess the impact a future roll out would have. This needs to be carefully worked through with each division. Page 45
Page 46
OFFICIAL Page 17 of 17 OFFICIAL 4. A number of minor amendments to COS UNIFI are considered desirable to make the process more efficient and effective. 7. Recommendations Based on the findings of this report, CERP make the following recommendations: 1. The Proportionate Response to Crime process for DCR crime reports should be rolled out across Police Scotland. 2. The project board supports the submission and prioritisation of a Potential Application & Functionality Assessment (PAFA) Form requesting efficiency amendments are made to COS UNIFI. This will require further assessment by COS. 3. Consideration should be given to extending Proportionate Response to Crime practices to local policing by empowering front line officers to directly file crime reports that they record where no proportionate lines of enquiry exist. 4. Police Scotland should update their Crime Investigation Standard Operating Procedure to make it clear that enquiry officers do not require to note a statement for every crime report allocated to them for enquiry. Page 46
Page 47
Proportionate Response to Crime Investigation Process Proportionate Response to Crime Investigation Process Public Public PSSC PSSC Resolution Team Resolution Team Crime Management Crime Management Local Area Command Local Area Command Version 1.4Version 1.4 Public contact PSSC to report a crime Service Advisor answers call and establishes that incident is not ongoing Is incident ongoing? Service Advisor books a DCR Appointment within 72 hours & sends to RT RT quality assures incident to ensure DCR suitability Incident sent to ACR for officers to be dispatched Storm incident created, details of incident obtained and initial THRIVE assessment completed DCR suitable? Incident re-routed as appropriate (ACR, LPA, RT TEL) RTA allocated incident & contacts reporter RTA notes details for a crime report and conducts a robust & comprehensive telephone investigation ensuring all practical lines of enquiry are explored DCR suitable? Yes Crime report suitable for direct filing RTA advises complainer crime report will be assessed by local policing division for review/enquiry No RTA advises complainer re: no proportionate lines of enquiry and likelihood of no further police contact COS Unifi fully updated with: • Details of the crime • Result of telephone investigation • Direct filing recommendation Crime Management assess crime report for investigative opportunities Crime report suitable for direct filing? Crime Report filed Local area command assess crime report for investigative opportunities Crime Report allocated to Local Policing Crime report suitable for direct filing? Crime Report allocated to Local Policing Crime Report remains filed No Yes Yes No Yes No No No Yes Yes Page 47
Page 48
OFFICIAL Page 1 of 2 OFFICIAL 1. Purpose This report provides provides a number of examples of crimes reported to Police during the A Division Proportionate Response to Crime pilot. 2. Crime Examples Case Study 1 A retailer reported the theft of a packet of crisps, the suspect had left the store without paying. The incident was captured on CCTV and showed a child aged between 14 & 16 as having been responsible. This was allocated to a local officer for enquiry. Case Study 2 The caller reported that they had parked their car in car park for 6 hours. On returning they noticed damage to their rear bumper which appeared to have been caused by another car. No note had been left on the callers car and no CCTV covering the car park. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. Case Study 3 The caller reported on returning home from a walk they realised their mobile phone was no longer in their pocket. The caller re-traced their steps however couldn’t find their phone. The caller was unable to trace or track their phone and it was turned off, leading the caller to believe someone had found their phone. There was no public CCTV covering the streets walked by the caller and the phone had not been handed in to the police. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. Case Study 4 The caller reported that they parked their car in a public street near to their house, on returning to the car four days later they found damage to the car's paintwork. It appeared the damage had been caused deliberately. There was no note left on the car, their neighbours had not seen anything and there was no CCTV in the street. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. Case Study 5 The caller reported that they had returned home to find their house window had been smashed. There had been nobody at home for eight hours and nobody had seen what had happened or when it happened. The caller and her neighours did not have any CCTV or doorbell cameras. No forensic opportunities existed and the damage had already been repaired. Despite the lack of any proportionate lines of equiry the crime report was allocated to a local officer as the reporter was assessed as being vulnerable. Case Study 6 Proportionate Response to Crime – Crime Case Studies Contact Engagement Resolution Project Page 48
Page 49
OFFICIAL Page 2 of 2 OFFICIAL The caller reported that their bag was left unattended for a period of time within a public park. On returning home they realised their mobile phone was no longer in their bag. The caller was unable to trace or track their phone and it was turned off, leading the caller to believe someone had taken their phone. There was no CCTV covering the area. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. At a later date, the caller recontacted police to advise that their phone now appeared to be on and showing a live location. The crime report was re-opened and allocated to a local officer for enquiry. Following enquiries the callers phone was recovered and the person responsible was traced. Case Study 7 The caller reported that a delivery driver had left a parcel outside their door which was within a common close. On the caller returning home the parcel was missing. The caller spoke with neighbours who confirmed they didn’t have the parcel nor see anyone taking it. The caller advised that there was no internal or enxternal CCTV. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. On local officers assessing the crime report, using local knowledge they were aware of CCTV cameras covering the main door to the building. The crime report was allocated to a local officer for enquiry. Case Study 8 The caller reported that they had not been at home for four weeks. On returning home she noticed two ornaments were missing from her front garden. The caller had spoken to her neihbours and nobody had see anything. There was no CCTV covering her garden. The caller was advised that the crime report would be recommended for direct filing. Case Study 9 A public body emailed the police reporting that an information sign within a car park had been deliberately damaged. The time of the damage was unknown and there was no CCTV coverage. The police made three unsuccesssful attempts to speak with the reporter. The crime report would be recommended for direct filing. Page 49
Page 50
1OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot: Public and Colleague Survey Insights Research and Insight December 2023 OFFICIALPage 50
Page 51
2 Summary of Insights Page 3 Areas for Consideration Page 6 Public User Survey Page 7 User Experience and Your Police Surveys Page 14 Colleague Survey: C3 Division Responses Page 20 Colleague Survey: A Division Responses Page 29 Suggestions for National Roll Out Page 40 Contents OFFICIALPage 51
Page 52
3 The majority of public responses received to the Proportionate Response to Crime survey were from the Aberdeen City area (58%), followed by equal responses from Aberdeenshire and Moray (21%). 43 responses were received in total. Key insights from the public survey responses were: • Almost half (49%) of respondents were expecting to receive a crime reference number (e.g., for insurance purposes) and 30% were not expecting a police officer to attend and investigate. 26% were expecting officer attendance. • Most respondents (91%) were not aware that the pilot was running in their area. • 45% of respondents agree or strongly agree that they understand the pilot, with a further 50% agreeing or strongly agreeing that they understand why the pilot is being carried out and what is meant by “no proportionate lines of enquiry”. • 46% agree or strongly agree they understood that their report was being recommended for closure when their crime was being recorded. 58% were satisfied with their crime report being recommended for closure and not allocated to a front-line police officer. • 49% would feel confident reporting a crime to Police Scotland if the Proportionate Response to Crime process was rolled out nationally. • Public expectation of officer attendance is an important factor in relation to understanding, satisfaction and confidence in the context of Proportionate Response to Crime. 69% of those who did not expect to receive officer attendance agreed they were satisfied their report was recommended for closure, 51% higher than those who were expecting officer response. • Across qualitative responses, respondents shared concerns around the risks of crime increasing if the approach was rolled out. Some understood the need and benefits of the approach, whilst others suggested this was an “excuse to do nothing”. Analysis of data from the User Experience and Your Police surveys was conducted to provide further insight into the impact of the pilot. There are only minor percentage differences in average responses to relevant User Experience survey questions. This includes before and during the pilot in A Division and in comparisons with national responses. Only a small number of qualitative responses referenced the pilot in the Your Police Survey. Summary of Insights: Public Responses OFFICIALPage 52
Page 53
4 In total, there were 30 responses to the Proportionate Response to Crime survey from C3 Division and 163 from A Division. Key insights from the colleague survey responses have been outlined. C3 Division • 97% of C3 colleagues stated they feel confident in applying the Proportionate Response to Crime process. 96% of Police Constables and Resolution Team Assistants feel confident in informing someone that their crime report is being recommended for filing. • C3 colleagues provided positive responses about the support they received from CERP, stating this was helpful, supportive and proactive. • Most colleagues (48% average between Police Constables and Resolution Team Assistants) reported that recording crime reports takes the same amount of time as it did before the pilot. On average, 43% of C3 colleagues reported that this takes more time in comparison to before the pilot. A small number of colleagues stated it takes less time than before, a higher proportion of these responses were from Police Constables. • All Police Sergeants stated their workload has remained the same since the pilot started, half of the Team Leaders (n=2) stated their workload has increased. No Police Sergeants or Team Leader reported a reduction in their workload. • Most colleagues stated reporters only required crime reference numbers ‘sometimes’ or ‘very often’. • Colleagues suggested the process could be improved by increasing knowledge of the process across departments, increase feedback when reports are returned, including more crime types and increasing public awareness of the pilot. Summary of Insights: Colleague Responses OFFICIALPage 53
Page 54
5 A Division • The vast majority of A Division colleagues were aware of the pilot, understood it and how it would affect their role. Police Constables generally had less awareness of this than sergeants and CIMU colleagues. • 72% of Police Constables report, prior to the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot, they would be allocated crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed “very often” or “always.” 59% of Police Sergeants report allocating crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed always or very often. • 68% of Police Constables and 64% of Police Sergeants have noticed a difference in their own or their team’s workload since the pilot started. 51% of CIMU colleagues agree they have noticed the difference in their workload. 56% of Police Constables and 51% of Police Sergeants agree that they or their team had more time to investigate crime reports with proportionate lines of enquiry. • Open ended comments reflected the positive difference relating to receiving a reduced number of crime reports for allocation. Colleagues shared how this can boost morale, particularly for frontline officers. Other colleagues shared that they have not experienced the benefits of reduced crime reports due to the wider demands they face, with particular reference to non-criminal calls and reduced staffing levels in the division. This was not directly related to the pilot, with many colleagues being aware of the benefits despite not experiencing this for themselves at this time. • The majority of respondents have not had any interactions with the public regarding the pilot. Where these interactions have occurred, responses from the public have been mixed. Where negative interactions occurred, colleagues stated that explaining the process to members of the public helped to change their view. Summary of Insights: Colleague Responses OFFICIALPage 54
Page 55
6 • Multiple examples were provided relating to public misunderstanding of the Proportionate Response to Crime process. Accessible communication in terms of what the police service is doing locally to address concerns is key to improving indicators identified in the Your Police survey. How we tell the story about what we are doing every day to keep people and communities safe is key. This is a driver of public confidence, so any improvement in these areas will likely increase confidence, as well as trust, in Police Scotland. • It is clear across our engagement activities that a key driver of positive user experience is police attendance. In cases where this is not deemed proportionate, the way we make people feel, particularly in our use of language, approach and compassion, is as important as the outcome of the report in ensuring that the individual feels safe, protected and likely to contact and cooperate with the police, and report crime, in the future. • Public expectation of police attendance is an important factor in relation to understanding, satisfaction and confidence in the context of Proportionate Response to Crime. It is important to consider how greater awareness of the approach may benefit managing these expectations. Suggestions for national roll out All colleagues were asked for suggestions for rolling out the approach nationally. Most responses were positive, stating the approach was effective. Suggestions made related to: • Increasing public communications to raise awareness and understanding. The need for this can be seen from both colleague and public responses. • Inclusion of more crime types (e.g., low level fraud). • Increase awareness for frontline officers about Proportionate Response to Crime. • Further training about what constitutes a ‘proportionate’ line of enquiry, ensuring all divisions are aware and have received briefings. • Improve consistency and quality assurance in crime report quality and increase feedback when reports are returned. Areas for Consideration OFFICIALPage 55
Page 56
7OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS Public User Survey OFFICIALPage 56
Page 57
8 Demographics Public Responses Council area Percent Count Aberdeen City 58% 25 Aberdeenshire 21% 9 Moray 21% 9 Gender Percent Count Woman 53% 23 Man 42% 18 Prefer not to say 2% 1 Not Answered 2% 1 Age Percent Count 19-24 years old 2% 1 25-34 years old 5% 2 35-44 years old 12% 5 45-54 years old 34% 14 55-64 years old 29% 12 65-74 years old 12% 5 75-84 years old 5% 2 Sexuality Percent Count Heterosexual 81% 35 Bisexual 7% 3 Prefer not to say 5% 2 Other (please specify) 2% 1 Gay 2% 1 Not Answered 2% 1 Ethnicity Percent Count White Scottish 78% 32 White other British 7% 3 Any other white ethnic group 7% 3 Any mixed or multiple ethnic group 2% 1 African, African Scottish or African British 2% 1 Indian, Indian Scottish or Indian British 2% 1 Physical or mental health conditions or illnesses Percent Count No 74% 32 Yes 21% 9 Don't know 2% 1 Not Answered 2% 1 Caring responsibilities Percent Count No 83% 33 Yes - unpaid care provider full-time 10% 4 Yes - unpaid care provider part-time 5% 2 Prefer not to say 3% 1 Religion Percent Count No religion 51% 21 Church of Scotland 24% 10 Roman Catholic 10% 4 Any other religion 5% 2 Other Christian 5% 2 Prefer not to say 2% 1 Hindu 2% 1 43 responses were received from members of the public from across A Division. The majority of these were from the Aberdeen City area (58%), followed by Aberdeenshire (21%) and Moray (21%). We received the majority of responses from people who are White Scottish (78%), identify as women (53%) and do not have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses (74%).OFFICIALPage 57
Page 58
9 When reporting the crime to Police Scotland: • 49% (n=21) were expecting to receive a crime reference number (e.g., for insurance purposes); • 30% (n=13) were not expecting a police officer to attend and investigate; and • 26% (n=11) were expecting officer attendance. Those who responded “Other” (16%, n=7) stated: • For general advice and peace of mind; • To provide awareness of vulnerabilities; • To know if there would be an update e.g., whether the perpetrator of the crime had been caught or if further officer liaison was necessary; • To add their case to police data base in the hopes of informing the police of similar local crime in the area. Before calling Police Scotland, the majority of respondents, 91% (n=39), were not aware that a 12-week Proportionate Response to Crime pilot was being run within their area. 7% (n=3) were aware and 2% (n=1) weren't sure. Those that were aware found out via the national and local media coverage. Reference was made to the “political outrage” of the issue in the media. No respondents were made aware via Police Scotland’s own social media. Public Responses Reporting Expectations OFFICIALPage 58
Page 59
10 Understanding of Proportionate Response to Crime Public Responses 45% agree or strongly agree they understand the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot. 50% agree or strongly agree they both understand why Police Scotland are carrying out this pilot and what is meant by "no proportionate lines of enquiry.“ Open-ended comments were mixed in their perceptions of the pilot. Concerns were raised by those with little awareness of the pilot relating to the potential impact of advertising this approach. They worried it would encourage an increase in crime. Some comments reflected their understanding of the need for Police Scotland to change how it operates to adapt and be effective. 12% 12% 12% 17% 14% 17% 5% 5% 2% 21% 19% 19% 29% 33% 36% 17% 17% 14% Understand the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot Understand why Police Scotland are carrying out this pilot Understand what Police Scotland means by "no proportionate lines of enquiry" Public Understanding of the Pilot Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know OFFICIALPage 59
Page 60
11 Views on the Proportionate Response to Crime Process Public Responses 46% agree or strongly agree they understood that their report was being recommended for closure when the details of their crime were being recorded over the phone. 58% were satisfied with their crime report being recommended for closure and not allocated to a frontline police officer. 49% feel confident reporting a crime to Police Scotland if the Proportionate Response to Crime process was rolled out nationally. Open-ended comments were mixed, with some sharing their engagement with courteous and professional colleagues. Those that were confident about reporting a crime in the future appreciated being kept “in the loop” with regards to the pilot. Accessibility issues were raised as a barrier to feeling properly informed of their case status, where updates were not provided in an accessible way for the reporter. There is a sentiment from some respondents that the pilot is an “excuse to do nothing,” and will result in an increase in “petty” and “low level” crime. Some expressed a sentiment that it is a “waste of time” to contact the police. 5% 9% 5% 14% 14% 16% 7% 7% 5% 19% 12% 26% 42% 30% 33% 14% 28% 16% Understood their report was being recommended for closure Was satisfied with their crime report being recommended for closure and not allocated to a front line police officer Would feel confident reporting a crime to Police Scotland if the Proportionate Response to Crime process was rolled out nationally Public Agreement of PRTC Processes Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know OFFICIAL Page 60
Page 61
12 Public Responses 69% 69% 62% 18% 18% 27% Understood their report was being recommended for closure. Was satisfied with their crime report being recommended for closure and not allocated to a front line police officer. Would feel confident reporting a crime to Police Scotland if the Proportionate Response to Crime process was rolled out nationally. Percentage who agree Expectations v Agreement with Process Did not expect a police officer to attend and investigate Expected a police officer to attend and investigate Expectations of officer attendance matter when it comes to the public’s understanding, satisfaction and confidence in PRTC. Expectations 69% of those who did not expect to receive officer attendance agreed they understood their report was recommended for closure, 51% higher than those who were expecting officer response. 69% of those who did not expect to receive officer attendance agreed they were satisfied their report was recommended for closure, 51% higher than those who were expecting officer response. 62% of those who did not expect to receive officer attendance agreed they would feel confident reporting a crime if PRTC was rolled out nationally, 35% higher than those who were expecting officer response. OFFICIAL Page 61
Page 62
13 What else do you think is important for us to know? Respondents expressed concern that this new approach will result in an increase of crime, as perpetrators of crimes that don’t result in harm or pose a risk, will feel empowered. Some felt it important that more CCTV should be in their local area to assist in providing viable lines of enquiry. One respondent highlighted feeling like the assessment of their case as “low level” disregarded the personal impact of the crime (i.e. theft). We know a key driver of positive user experience is police attendance. In cases where this is not deemed proportionate, the way we make people feel, particularly in our language, approach and compassion, is as important as the outcome of the report, in ensuring that the individual feels safe, protected and likely to contact and cooperate with the police in the future. It’s important that THRIVE assessment processes ensure people feel adequately listened to and their concerns fully understood, so that their call can be assessed and triaged appropriately, reducing feelings of not being taken seriously. Public Responses “If proportional response policing means the society we live in accepts this afore-stated scenario [property damage] as acceptable and tolerable then I fear for my, my children's, and my grandchildren’s future safety on the streets of Aberdeen.” “To be fair, first time I have contacted police in a long time. Reported incident more for information as knew details given were not enough to take forward. However totally happy with response and timeline. So no complaints. You guys have a hard enough job as it is. So well done OFFICIALPage 62
Page 63
14OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS User Experience and Your Police Surveys OFFICIALPage 63
Page 64
15 15 This pack includes analysis of data from Police Scotland’s User Experience Survey (23/24). • The User Experience survey is our independent survey to measure and enhance people’s experience of contacting Police Scotland, administered by Progressive Partnership Ltd. The survey is sent via text message to a sample of people who have made contact with police each month. This survey receives approximately 1,200 responses each month and has been expanded to include those engaging with our complaints process. • The survey captures data about a user’s contact experience, through to the response received from police, their satisfaction with attending officers and overall satisfaction. It is completely anonymous, and we cannot track results back to individual cases or crime reports. Regular analysis of open-ended responses helps the service understand what drives a positive experience with police and supports wider efforts to support our people in their jobs. This pack also utilised Police Scotland’s Your Police (23/24) survey data. • The Your Police survey is our local police survey. This is continuous and runs all year, building on the large response from the public and communities in previous survey years. Anyone who lives in Scotland can influence local policing in their area through this survey. • We use the feedback to understand public confidence, where we can improve and build on what we are doing well and inform opportunities for partnership working and collaboration. • The survey is hosted on Police Scotland’s Engagement Hub and is fully accessible, meeting the AA standard for public sector websites. This means that people who use screen readers and other assistive technology are able to take part. We also ensure the survey is available in an easy read version and in British Sign Language. The survey focus on understanding public expectations and experience with the various contact touchpoints. From this evidence base we know the kind of service people want and expect, how well we are performing and what the ‘pain points’ might be at any point in time. Respondents to the User Experience survey provide feedback on their interactions with Police Scotland, which usually takes place one month before survey completion date. For example, data presented for November, represents a contact experience that took place in October. Methodology OFFICIALPage 64
Page 65
16 Based on your overall experience, how satisfied are you with Police Scotland? 65% 64% 77% 70% 64% 60% 72% 66% 65% 52% 69% 68% 63% 65% 68% 68% 73% 73% 69% 66% 70% 69% 66% 64% 66% 67% 68% 70% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% Oct-22 Nov-22 Dec-22 Jan-23 Feb-23 Mar-23 Apr-23 May-23 Jun-23 Jul-23 Aug-23 Sep-23 Oct-23 Nov-23 Overall Satisfaction by Month A Division National Average Pilot runs August 28th - November 19th • Average A Division Overall satisfaction is 66% (-2% national average) prior to pilot commencement (Oct-22 – Sep-24). • During Oct -23 -Nov 23 average overall satisfaction for A Division is 64% (-5% national average). User Experience Survey OFFICIAL Page 65
Page 66
17 Do you feel that the police provided the appropriate response to the incident you reported? In A division, between October and November survey responses currently available, on average, 61% of respondents stated they felt they received an appropriate response. Prior to the pilot, between January and September (contact experiences from August), the same average of 61% was reported. To provide wider context, the national average during the October and November period was 65% and prior to the pilot, the average percentage of respondents feeling they received an appropriate response was 63%. User Experience Survey 69% 66% 62% 65% 62% 62% 59% 62% 62% 66% 63% 24% 27% 30% 26% 28% 29% 32% 30% 30% 27% 28% 7% 7% 8% 9% 10% 9% 9% 8% 8% 6% 9% January February March April May June July August September October November National (11,496 responses) Yes No Not sure 69% 64% 54% 66% 58% 62% 53% 64% 63% 64% 57% 26% 30% 35% 28% 30% 26% 35% 27% 28% 29% 30% 5% 6% 11% 6% 12% 12% 12% 9% 9% 7% 13% January February March April May June July August September October November A Division (957 responses) Yes No Not sure OFFICIAL Page 66
Page 67
18 Did you feel staff properly understood what you needed? In A division, between October and November survey responses, on average 85% of respondents stated staff properly understood what they needed. Prior to the pilot, the average was 86%. The national average between October and November survey responses was 87% and prior to the pilot period, on average 86% of respondents stated yes. User Experience Survey 85% 90% 83% 86% 85% 84% 82% 91% 89% 84% 86% 10% 9% 16% 11% 14% 10% 16% 8% 9% 14% 9% 5% 1% 2% 4% 1% 6% 3% 1% 2% 2% 4% January February March April May June July August September October November A Division (1174 responses) Yes No Not sure / can’t remember There are only minor percentage differences in average responses these questions in the User Experience survey. This includes before and during the pilot in A Division and in comparisons with national responses. 88% 88% 85% 87% 88% 84% 84% 86% 87% 86% 87% 9% 9% 11% 10% 9% 13% 13% 12% 11% 11% 10% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 3% 3% 2% 3% 3% January February March April May June July August September October November National (14,256 responses) Yes No Not sure / can’t remember OFFICIAL Page 67
Page 68
19 Reference to the Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot A small number (n=29) of respondents to the Your Police survey referenced the reporting in the media relating to the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot. Open-text comments reveal a worry that Police won’t be investigating crimes or will be taking a “soft-touch” approach: Accessible communication in terms of what the police service is doing locally to address concerns is key to improving indicators identified in the Your Police survey. How we tell the story about what we are doing every day to keep people and communities safe is key. This is also a driver of public confidence, so any improvement in these areas will likely increase confidence, as well as trust, in Police Scotland. Your Police Survey “Aberdeen city centre is a disgrace - full of teens running riot and drunk folk fighting and shouting and swearing. I'm appalled that it's recently been announced that minor crimes won't be investigated. If anything we need a lot more policing. What happened to using breach of the peace to get these folk off the streets?” “Little Police presence and recent news reporting that some crime will no longer be investigated. What a time to be a criminal!” OFFICIALPage 68
Page 69
20OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS Colleague Survey C3 Division Responses OFFICIALPage 69
Page 70
21 Briefing Method and Improvements Colleague Responses: C3 Division There were 30 responses from C3 Division: • Resolution Team Assistant: 47% (14) • Resolution Team - Team Leader: 13% (4) • Police Constable: 30% (9) • Police Sergeant: 10% (3) All respondents received a briefing on carrying out the Proportionate Response to Crime process. Most received the briefing in person (63%) and under half received this via Microsoft Teams (37%). Police Constables mostly received the briefing over Microsoft Teams (78%) with the majority of other roles in person. Briefing Method Police Constable Resolution Team Assistant Police Sergeant Resolution Team - Team Leader In person 22% 79% 67% 100% Over Microsoft Teams 78% 21% 33% 0% Briefing Improvements 9 responses were provided when asked for improvements that could be made to the briefing. The majority of these were positive, stating the briefing was well delivered and no improvements were needed. The suggestions made by respondents were: “I feel that the use of training crime CR numbers on UNIFI would be good to allow us to actually complete the process ourselves and see it on our own screen rather than seeing it done by someone else.” “Make sure all the briefings are in person!” OFFICIALPage 70
Page 71
22 Support Received from CERP After the briefing, the vast majority (69%) of C3 colleagues agreed they felt supported by CERP during the 12-week pilot. No colleagues “disagreed” that they felt supported, however 22% of Police Constables and 100% (n=3) of Police Sergeants “neither agreed nor disagreed” that they felt supported. • 97% agreed they were confident in applying the Proportionate Response to Crime process. 1 Police Sergeant “Neither agree nor disagreed” that they were confident. • 96% confident in informing someone that their crime report is being recommended for filing (Team Leaders and Police Sergeants not included). • 97% agreed the Proportionate Response to Crime page on the C3 Procedures Guide contains adequate information to allow them to follow the process, with 1 Police Sergeant stated “neither agree nor disagree”. Colleague Responses: C3 Division OFFICIALPage 71
Page 72
23 Support Received from CERP All open-ended responses relating to the support received from CERP were positive. Respondents discussed how the team were helpful, supportive and proactive: 2 Police Constables selected neither agree nor disagree, sharing that they did not need to seek support so were unable to comment. 3 sergeants selected neither agree nor disagree, but did not provide comment. Colleague Responses: C3 Division “CERP team have always been on hand to deal with any questions and it was a very open communication between RTA's and the CERP team. The Teams group chat that was set up has helped RTA'S learn form others asking questions also.” “I felt extremely supported after the briefing by the trainers. Andy and Stacey were very helpful and stayed with us for the first few days of the pilot as they knew there would be lots of initial questions in the beginning. After this, they created a group chat for any further questions that we needed answers to which was so helpful as most of the RTA's had the same questions and it was easy for us to refer back to. During the pilot, both Andy and Stacey have kept us updated with anything that had changed or any feedback they had received which was great to know.” “Perhaps having more examples on the Proportionate pages with examples as they developed would be useful with common scenarios and guidance but appreciate still early days and some decisions needed more time for consultation and agreement with stakeholders like crime management and crime registrars.” “I had no issue that caused me to seek support so cannot comment. Email updates on arising issues were useful although I did not have any problems with CR's submitted under scheme.” “Andy & Stacey were great! clear instruction and direction, and on hand/contactable when we had questions.” OFFICIALPage 72
Page 73
24 Crime Report Recording Colleague Responses: C3 Division 44% 43% 44% 50% 11% 7% Police Constable n=9 Resolution Team Assistant n=14 Q: In comparison to before the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot, has the length of time taken to record a crime report changed? It now takes less time than before It takes the same amount of time It now takes more time than before Most colleagues (48% average) shared that the length of time taken to record a crime report has stayed the same. A minority of C3 colleagues said it takes less time now than before. A higher proportion of those who felt this way were Police Constables. An average of 43% of C3 colleagues felt it takes more time in comparison to before the pilot. OFFICIALPage 73
Page 74
25 Impact on Workload Colleague Responses: C3 Division No Police Sergeants noticed a difference in their workload since the pilot started. Half of Team Leaders noticed an increase in their workload. No Team Leader or Police Sergeant reported a reduction in their workload since the pilot started. 50% 100% 25% 25% Police Sergeant n=3 Resolution Team - Team Leader n=4 Q: Since the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot has started, have you noticed a change in your workload? Don't know My workload has stayed the same My workload has increased OFFICIALPage 74
Page 75
26 Previous Crime Reference Number Requests Colleague Responses: C3 Division 11% 11% 14% 56% 50% 22% 36% Police Constable n=9 Resolution Team Assistant n=14 Q: Prior to Proportionate Response to Crime, how often did a reporter advise you that they only wanted the crime reference number and did not expect an enquiry to be carried out? Very often Sometimes Rarely Never Most colleagues (83% on average) encountered reporters only requiring a crime reference number (with no expectation of enquiry) at least sometimes or very often. This was especially reported by RTAs. OFFICIALPage 75
Page 76
27 Amendment of Crime Reports Colleague Responses: C3 Division 36% of RTAs and 44% of Police Constables agreed or strongly agreed it was clear why reports returned by the CMU had been returned for amendment. 29% of RTA disagreed that it was clear and a further 35% neither agreed nor disagreed or didn’t know. No Police Constables thought it was unclear, however, 55% neither agreed nor disagreed or didn’t know. 29% 44% 21% 11% 14% 33% 36% 11% Police Constable n=9 Resolution Team Assistant n=14 Q: When crime reports are returned to me by the Crime Management Unit, it is clear why this has been returned for amendment. Strongly agree Agree Don't know Neither agree nor disagree Disagree OFFICIALPage 76
Page 77
28 Colleagues from C3 division were asked what could improve the Proportionate Response to Crime process. Key themes from these responses were: • Increase knowledge of the process across all departments involved. • Increase feedback from the Crime and Incident Management Unit when reports are returned. Some colleagues felt the reasoning for a report being returned was not always clear. • Some police officers felt that completion of the template was not required where lines of enquiry are present. • The inclusion of more crime types within the process. • Greater public awareness. Colleague Responses: C3 Division Process Improvements “I feel as a Police Officer with 16 years service that if there is CR that falls within the category for the Proportionate Response to Crime process and I determine there is appropriate lines of enquiry I should not have to fill in a template to justify the reasons for this. I feel that I can use my judgement to determine this and spending time filling out the template when it is going for enquiry is needless, a waste of time and feels a little patronising. The summary that I will put on a CR will contain sufficient detail to allow the matter to be progressed therefore if I put on a CR for enquiry, a template should not be required. I fully accept that if it is to be filed for no enquiry then the template has a place however, as stated, if I decide there is enquiry the template should not be required.” “I think the only thing to improve is the aftermath of sending a report for either filing or allocation if it has not been agreed. It is not always clear what Crime Management want us to do. Second to that, as RTA's we are sometimes not able to do what Crime Management are asking as we don't have that access to Unifi. We deal with so many crime reports every day that it is sometimes hard to trace our memory back to a CR that has been returned to us.” “The removal of the requirement for TL's to agree COS UNIFI reports are 'suitable for closure' when we are merely providing an admin function.” “Clearer instruction and accountability in relation to incidents which have been reopened for relatively minor points of clarification.” OFFICIALPage 77
Page 78
29OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS Colleague Survey A Division Responses OFFICIALPage 78
Page 79
30 Understanding of the Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot Colleague Responses: A Division 163 responses were received from A Division: • Crime and Incident Management Unit: 5% (8) • Police Constable: 71% (116) Police Sergeant: 24% (39) The vast majority of A Division colleagues were aware of the pilot, understood it and how it would affect their role. Police Constables generally had less awareness of this than sergeants and CIMU colleagues. 81% 94% 93%95% 98% 97%100% 100% 100% Aware that A Division ran a 12 week Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot. Understand the Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot. Understand how the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot affects their role. Percentage who agree Understanding of PRTC Police Constable n=116 Police Sergeant n=39 Crime and Incident Management Unit n=8 OFFICIAL Page 79
Page 80
31 Colleague Responses: A Division 37% 59% 13% 30% 13% 50% 17% 10% 13% 13% 3% 3% 25% 3% 13% Police Constable Police Sergeant Crime and Incident Management Unit Q: How were you made aware of the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot? PowerPoint Other Intranet National media coverage Face to face briefing by supervisor Email Most colleagues were made aware of the pilot via email or face to face briefings with their supervisor. Those who responded ‘other’ were made aware of the pilot by colleagues, MS Teams meeting, through the media or reported that they did not know about it. Awareness of the Proportionate Response to Crime Pilot OFFICIAL Page 80
Page 81
32 Pre-Pilot Crime Report Allocation Colleague Responses: A Division 1% 5%3% 23% 36% 48% 38% 24% 21% How often Police Constables would be allocated crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed How often Police Sergeants would allocate crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed Frequency of Allocation of Crime Reports with no Proportionate Line of Enquiry Always Very often Sometimes Rarely Never Don't know 72% of Police Constables report, prior to the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot, they would be allocated crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed “very often” or “always.” 59% of Police Sergeants report allocating crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed always or very often. OFFICIAL Page 81
Page 82
33 Impact on Workload Colleague Responses: A Division 1%7% 3% 9% 5% 15% 28% 50% 39% 46% 38% 29% 18% 13% Police Constable's workload Police Sergeant's team's workload Crime and Incident Management Unit's workload Q: Since the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot has started, I have noticed a difference in my/my team’s crime report workload. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know 1%9% 8% 12% 10% 23% 31% 30% 36% 26% 15% Police Constable Police Sergeant's team Q: Since the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot has started, I/my team have more time to investigate crime reports that have a proportionate line of enquiry. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know 68% of Police Constables and 64% of Police Sergeants have noticed a difference in their own or their team’s workload since the pilot started. 51% of CIMU colleagues agree they have noticed the difference in their workload. Open ended comments reflected the positive impact of receiving a reduced number of crime reports for allocation. Since the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot has started, 56% of Police Constables and 51% of Police Sergeants agree that they or their team have had more time to investigate crime reports that have a proportionate line of enquiry.OFFICIALPage 82
Page 83
34 Impact on Workload The majority of feedback discussed the pilot and a reduction in crime reports received positively, with colleagues sharing how this has made a positive difference by increasing the time officers have available. Colleagues shared how this can boost morale, particularly for frontline officers. Colleagues suggested that these benefits could be improved further by increasing the scope of offenses included (e.g., including low value fraud). When colleagues shared they had not felt the benefits of a reduction in crime reports being allocated, or noticed a difference in their workload, this was often discussed in the context of the wider demand faced by the organisation. Colleagues shared that, although crime reports may be reduced, their time is often spent managing non-criminal calls that do not fall within the remit of the pilot (e.g., mental health calls). They also discussed the impact of staffing levels across the division, meaning that they were not able to feel the benefits of reduced crime reports due to wider demand and capacity challenges. This was not directly related to the pilot, with many colleagues being aware of the benefits despite not experiencing this for themselves at this time. Colleague Responses: A Division “There has been a significant reduction in Crime Reports requiring to be allocated daily which is an enormous relief to officers workload which at times can be unmanageable due to the volume. This has assisted officers greatly with them able to concentrate, prioritise their workload and have more time to progress enquiries. It has also boosted morale and has been well received.” “This has been a huge positive in lessening the burden on an already stretched CPT, allowing for proportionate lines of enquiry to be carried out in a more timely manner for relevant enquiries, as well as providing officers more time to submit reports/statements etc in a more timely manner and to a better standard.” “I would also say it is difficult to measure whether the team are being afforded more time to complete enquiries which have proportionate lines of enquiry, due to them dealing with various matters which are not even criminal - such as mental health etc. This of course is a different challenge and conversation.” “While I note that this initiative should be giving us more time to investigate crime and I am sure to some extent that it is, given that we are now running all the time with significantly less staff than ever, it doesn't feel like it.” “Frontline officers should be made explicitly aware of PRTC; I was not aware until I saw the email requesting me to complete this survey (that may have been a previous email oversight by me). I spoke with other members of my team who were also unaware. It would definitely be a morale booster for the frontline, so it should be highlighted more effectively to them! Great initiative, thanks.” “Given the climate we are operating in now it allows frontline officers more time to deal with more serious matters.” OFFICIAL Page 83
Page 84
35 Colleague Responses: A Division 1% 91% 77% 3% 10% 5% 13% Police Constable Police Sergeant Q: If you have had any interaction with members of the public about the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot, was this positive or negative? Positive Negative I haven't had any interactions with the public about the pilot Don't know The majority of respondents have not had any interactions with the public regarding the pilot. Where these interactions have occurred, responses from the public have been mixed. Colleagues shared examples of receiving negative comments about the pilot from members of the public. When the approach was fully explained, they shared that often, members of the public then had a positive response. A common theme in these responses related to members of the public being misinformed by information shared by the media. It was clear from colleagues that there is a need to increase public understanding of the process. Public Interactions “As the public I dealt with, were in relation to crime reports that actually required investigation, I did not speak with members of the public who were reporting incidents with no lines of enquiry. This made my colleagues and I have more time to focus on the incidents that actually needed investigating. This has been a real benefit to us.” “This has been a real point of contention at community council meetings - there is a real perception that we no longer investigate low level crimes. I think this is a problem more with the way it has been pitched in media release, but also as a result of political parties deliberately misrepresenting the issue for their own gain - rather than a problem with the police decision itself. I have found that when I take the time to explain that actually very little has changed - we weren't attending these jobs anyway, and that instead it is a C3 call handler doing telephone enquiry instead of one of my cops, folk are generally quite happy with it.” OFFICIALPage 84
Page 85
36 Crime Report Allocation Colleague Responses: A Division 3% 44% 38% 88% 15% 13% Police Sergeant Crime and Incident Management Unit Q: When you receive crime reports for allocation that have been assessed as having a proportionate line of enquiry, how often do you agree with the C3 division assessment? Always Very often Sometimes Don't know 54% of Police Sergeants agree with the C3 Division assessment, with 44% reporting only sometimes. 100% of CIMU respondents agreed with the C3 Division assessment always or very often. OFFICIALPage 85
Page 86
37 Colleague Responses: A Division 3% 15% 56% 63% 26% 38% Police Sergeant Crime and Incident Management Unit Q: The new initial circumstances template used by C3 division assists in making it clear why a crime report is being recommended for allocation. Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree 82% of Police Sergeants and 100% of CIMU respondents think the new initial circumstances template used by C3 division assists in making it clear why a crime report is being recommended for allocation. 82% of Police Sergeants are aware that under the proportionate response to crime process, sergeants are empowered to file crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry exist. 8% disagreed they were aware and 10% don’t know or neither agree nor disagree. All CIMU respondents agreed they were aware that they could file crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry exist. Crime Report Allocation OFFICIALPage 86
Page 87
38 Crime Report Allocation Open ended responses referenced the template being easy to read, clearly displaying possible evidence. It was discussed that on some occasions, the standard to which this was completed varied, but some felt this has improved over time. Some colleagues shared that on some occasions it is not clear why a crime report is being recommended for allocation. Colleague Responses: A Division “I have seen some reports which don't contain the template. The template works well and has the necessary information. I agree that it is clear why the Crime Report has been recommended for allocation as the pro forma questions are included in the crime report, however there can sometimes be some ambiguity with the questions, for example when a complainer "believes" or "thinks" there is CCTV near by a locus, but nothing is specified for where this CCTV would actually be located. Sometimes the parameters require consideration, for example a vandalism where the only possible line of enquiry is the neighbours have a CCTV camera and the time frame is 12 hours long. There doesn't seem to be any questions followed up to state where the cameras are located, do they overlook the window? Is the house situated on the other side of the road, 3 doors down so anything evidential would clearly then not be available. It's a long list of questions that are sometimes not answered accurately. Proportionate Response works well and, when discussed properly with the complainer, a) provides them with the reassurance they need and b) does enable Officers to conduct other enquiries more thoroughly as they are not being as thinly spread.” “The standard of CRs being raised by staff within C3/RT etc still remains chaotic and it is clear that, on some occasions, simple questions, providing suitable advice and reassurance could have been used to resolve the issue.” “On occasion it is unclear if the CR is being filed or sent for allocation however this is clearly down to copy/paste.” OFFICIALPage 87
Page 88
39 Quality of Crime Reports Colleague Responses: A Division 13% 50% 38% Q: Have you noticed a difference in the quality of the crime reports being received from C3 Division? Don't know The quality has improved The quality has stayed the same Half of respondents from the Crime and Incident Management Unit think the quality of the crime reports being received from C3 Division have improved. No respondents felt the quality had decreased. *Figures are rounded to nearest whole number and therefore do not always add to 100% OFFICIALPage 88
Page 89
40OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS OFFICIAL: POLICE & PARTNERS Colleague Survey National Roll Out of Proportionate Response to Crime Process OFFICIALPage 89
Page 90
41 Suggestions for National Roll Out Colleague Responses: PRTC Roll Out C3: Resolution Team Assistants and Police Constables • Ensure all areas aware and have received briefings • Increase engagement and awareness raising with the public prior to launch. C3: Resolution Team Leaders and Police Sergeants • Clearer instruction and accountability relating to incidents which have “been reopened for relatively minor points of clarification”. A Division: Police Constables • Ensure quality assurance is completed and expand on template to allow greater uniformity of crime report quality. • Inclusion of fraud within the process • Raise awareness with frontline officers about PRTC • Further training around what constitutes a ‘proportionate’ line of enquiry. Officers shared multiple experiences of being allocated crime reports that have limited or no lines of enquiry. • Provide regular feedback on number of crime reports closed before allocation to share benefits with officers. A Division: Police Sergeants • Increase public awareness and councillor engagement • Inclusion of attempted fraud where there are no financial losses • Inclusion of more probing questions relating to CCTV availability and locations. • Improve consistency in the quality of crime reports being raised. A Division: Crime and Incident Management Unit • Increase media coverage on roll out to increase public awareness. • Possibility of automated system to return a crime report to C3 if felt the report should not be filed. • Increase consideration around value of thefts reported. Broadly, respondents said the pilot approach was effective and they would not change this. Where suggestions were made, these covered: OFFICIAL Page 90
Page 91
42 Colleague Quote: C3 Division Colleague Responses: PRTC Roll Out “I feel that if / when the process is rolled out nationally then CR's will take longer due to the template therefore the time allocated to record CR's may need to be factored into the appropriate diary. Within the RT Tel diary if clear crimes are allocated a double slot then this is more than enough time to record them however, as is often the case if you have all single slots filled with CR's then this is a struggle to have them completed. I think the proportionate response to crime is a good idea and will undoubtedly save time for officers on the street however, it does take longer for the CR to be added, ensure all appropriate fields are completed and file this so does add extra time for officers recording CR's. How this process can be quickened up I do not know as it does take a while on UNIFI to add all relevant witnesses, complainers, property etc. I feel that there are sometimes reasons, although a CR meets the criteria for direct filing that it should still merit some enquiry by an officer. I feel that there could be an 'other' reason for justifying some form of enquiry. I feel that the reason for Proportionate Response to Crime should be communicated to the public clearly. Almost every person when you ask if they are aware of the pilot within the area the answer is 'no'. If the public were aware of this it would meet their expectations before even speaking to Police to report their crime.” OFFICIALPage 91
Page 92
43 Colleague Quotes: A Division Colleague Responses: PRTC Roll Out “Some CR's that are sitting unallocated but with no proportionate lines of enquiry (documented as such) show as filed, however they cannot be closed without being allocated. At the moment the only way to remove them to become filed is to allocate them to myself and then close. If there is a way for them to be filed and removed from 'unallocated' automatically this would be of benefit.” - A Division Sergeant “The CRs raised currently vary vastly with some completed to a high standard and others completely worthless for an investigation perspective. This gives Officers further unnecessary work when they are already under enough pressure dealing with the continual ongoing emergency calls and inevitable jobs forthcoming as we continue to provide a mental health rescue service for the NHS and other partner agencies.” - A Division Sergeant “Ensure a consistent approach to matters and that when things do not need further action they are not sent 'just in case' or for divisional supervisor approval.” - A Division Sergeant “Ensure all the Quality Assurance issues are completed well from the outset therefore to maintain a specific standard expected and to ensure everyone is doing the same thing within the dept. Sometimes the CR is recorded Proportionate Enquiry Resolution however it is clear that the summary contradicts this and CR should be allocated to the division, minor error.” - A Division Constable “Through the pilot, a more standard template has been adopted for the initial circumstances noted on a new CR. This is an improvement as before the quality and content of the initial could vary widely. I think that expanding on this template approach will allow for a greater uniformity of quality on all new CRs. For example, due to the pilot, the presence of CCTV at locus is now identified as standard. I think this needs to be expanded by requiring the C3 officer to clarify with the informant whether the event was captured, whether the footage has been viewed, whether it has been burned, the details of who can operate the system, whether a USB or CD is required etc.” – A Division Constable “I think there should be a dialling down on what is deemed 'proportionate' lines of enquiry. So far we have found that ones with no lines of enquiry have been closed, however there has been a large number of crimes put through to officers for enquiry that have not been closed as they do have lines of enquiry, however many of these are not 'proportionate'. For example, I am aware of a £5 internet fraud being passed to an officer for enquiry with the lines of enquiry being Cycomms, DPA's to banks etc. I would suggest that the lines of enquiry whilst there, are not proportionate. There needs to be further training and clarification around what is deemed proportionate should this become a nation wide protocol.” - A Division Constable OFFICIAL Page 92
Page 93
44 Colleague Quote: CIMU Colleague Responses: PRTC Roll Out “Ensure all the Quality Assurance issues are completed well from the outset by C3 therefore to maintain a specific standard expected and to ensure everyone is doing the same thing within the department. Sometimes the CR is recorded Proportionate Enquiry Resolution however it is clear that the summary contradicts this and CR should be allocated to the division, minor error possibly down to copy/paste. Provide a contact number for the relevant Crime Management Unit to answer any queries. It was felt that it was mutually beneficial to the Service Advisors and Crime Management that Crime Management representative attended the C3 training. Input provided by C3 to the relevant Service Advisors was delivered well and addressed any concerns/queries. It was done days prior to Proportionate Response to Crime being rolled out therefore it was still fresh and not done months in advance and forgotten. From an ACM perspective it was beneficial to provide additional guidance regarding QA issues. CRs on occasion have been reopened and return to the Crime owner (RT) before being allocated out etc/clarification being sought etc. Feel that C3 require to know the process and not be too concerned if the CR returns to the RT staff workload prior to allocation.” OFFICIALPage 93
Page 94
45 If you have questions about anything contained within this insight pack, please contact the Research and Insight team: InsightEngagement@scotland.police.uk Further Information or Questions OFFICIALPage 94
Page 95
REPORT TO: POLICE AND FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 2 MAY 2024 SUBJECT: THEMATIC REPORT – ROAD SAFETY AND CASUALTY REDUCTION BY: CHIEF INSPECTOR CHRIS KERR & INSPECTOR LORRAINE MACKIE, POLICE SCOTLAND 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To inform the Committee on the work of the Road Policing and Community Policing Teams in respect of Road Safety. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III (J) (4) of the Council's Scheme of Administration relating to the monitoring of delivery of the Police and Fire & Rescue Services in Moray. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Police and Fire & Rescue Services Committee scrutinise and note the information contained within this report. 3. BACKGROUND COLLISION DATA AND OUR RESPONSE 3.1 The number of people killed on the roads in Moray for the previous 5 years: • 2019-2020 – 8 (2 motorcyclists, 1 pedestrian and 5 car passengers all on the A96) • 2020-2021 – 2 (1 car driver and one pedestrian on the A96) • 2021-2022 – 4 (2 motorcyclists on the A941 and 2 car drivers on the A96) • 2022-2023 – 2 (2 motorcyclists, A920 and on an unclassified road) • 2023-2024 – 3 (1 motorcyclist on the A96, and 2 pillion motorcycle passengers on the A941) Item 7. Page 95
Page 96
OFFICIAL 3.2 The number of people seriously injured on the roads in Moray for the year 2023/24 is 20, which is an increase of 1 compared to the 2022/23 period. 3.3 The 5 Year Average statistics are impacted due to the reduced traffic during COVID-19 restrictions, although they provide a general decrease in fatalities from the 2019/20 period. 3.4 Through daily analytical review of collision causation and crash data we identify our highest risk roads and casualty class. The main contributory factors are termed as ‘the fatal five’ and relate to the following offences: mobile telephones, speeding, drink/drug driving, seatbelts, and careless driving. Our response is to deploy resources to the right place at the right time to target a specific demographic of road user. 3.5 The Priority Routes for Moray are the A96, A941, A920 and the A95. It is recognised that motorcyclists are disproportionately affected on these routes. We conduct dedicated ‘Days of Action’ every month between March and October, on key motorcycle routes such as the A939, A941 and the A95. In February 2024, officers from Road Policing delivered presentations to 120 motorcyclists at a motorcycle safety event in Moray College. 4. RESPONSE ONGOING LOCAL AND NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVES RIDER REFINEMENT NORTH 4.1 This is a bespoke one-day course delivered to voluntary attendees from the motorcycling community and aims to raise road safety awareness and encourage riders to think about the consequences of risk-taking behaviour. Led by Police Advanced Motorcyclists and accompanied by an Institute of Advance Motorists observer, the course considers key risk factors and provides riders with the knowledge and skills to ride in a safe manner. The course involves demonstration rides and observation rides with feedback from Officers, and inputs on pre-ride motorcycle examination/safety checks of the machines. OPERATION CEDAR (CHALLENGE, EDUCATE, DETECT AND REDUCE) 4.2 This builds on established practices and continues to focus on a collaborative approach to reducing road casualties in the area. Operation CEDAR involves proactive multi-agency enforcement operations on the roads which compliments preventative activity aimed at improving driver behaviour. Partner agencies continue to work together to improve understanding of the factors which could contribute to improving road safety for everyone on the roads and together respond to these issues. Page 96
Page 97
OFFICIAL DRIVER ENGAGEMENT NORTH 4.3 This innovative road safety initiative focuses on interacting with older drivers and their friends and families at a variety of venues within the North East where we encourage open and honest conversations about ‘fitness to drive’. We use an interactive driving simulator designed to assess and highlight a participant's reactions, hazard awareness and any potential vulnerabilities. NEW DRIVER EARLY INTERVENTION SCHEME 4.4 Introduced to the Northeast in 2022, the aim of this scheme is to promote safe driving practices amongst new and learner drivers, focussing on drivers between 17-25 years of age who are statistically more likely to be involved in a collision. Inputs are delivered to young drivers such as Apprentices, Students and other private/public sector employees across the region. Police Scotland, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, have recently collaborated to jointly deliver the scheme to senior secondary school pupils within Moray. OPERATION CLOSE PASS 4.5 Close Pass is a cycle safety initiative which aims to highlight how much room motorists should allow when passing cyclists, who are considered vulnerable road users. This initiative is aimed at changing driver behaviour through engagement, interaction, and enforcement. VISITOR MANAGEMENT 4.6 We recognise that visitors from across the world make use of our road network when enjoying a holiday to the area, often having to drive on the opposite side of the road to their home nation. Along with our partners within the Visitor Management structures, Police Scotland aims to reduce the risk of collision through education and distribution of road safety advice such as ‘drive on the left’ wrist bands and other associated material. GOOD EGG SAFETY 4.7 Good Egg Safety are the child car seat specialists. We work in partnership with Good Egg Safety Representatives to carry out checks at venues such as a local supermarket. This is an opportunity for parents or persons with children to have their child’s car seat checked by an expert to identify if it is the correct seat for the vehicle and the child. This road safety initiative is an advisory engagement session to improve outcomes for children by educating drivers carrying child passengers. Page 97
Page 98
OFFICIAL 5. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) The Moray Council's responsibilities with regards to the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 are directly relevant to Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan. The work undertaken tackling Cybercrime is closely aligned to the overarching LOIP outcome for Moray of “Raising Aspirations.” The work of the partnership contributes directly to priorities 2, 3 and 4 of the LOIP: “Building a better future for our children and young people in Moray”; “Empowering and connecting communities” and “Improving the wellbeing of our population.” (b) Policy and Legal This report is presented to the Moray Police and Fire & Rescue Services Committee within its remit for local scrutiny of the Police. (c) Financial implications There are no identified financial implications. (d) Risk Implications There are no identified risk implications. (e) Staffing Implications There are no identified staffing implications. (f) Property Not applicable. (g) Equalities/Socio Economic Impact Not applicable. (h) Consultations The Local Police Plan, upon which the performance is reporting, was subject to consultation with elected representatives and was heavily influenced by ongoing feedback from local communities within the Moray Council area. Page 98
Page 99
OFFICIAL 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 The Road Safety Framework (RSF) with interim targets to 2030, has challenging reductions in the number of adults and children killed and seriously injured from a 2014/18 baseline, working towards the Vision Zero target of no deaths and no serious injuries on Scotland’s roads by 2050. 6.2 To tackle the number of fatalities on Scotland’s roads Police Scotland has identified a number of key opportunities, including an in-depth Fatality Study supported by a Transport Scotland funded dedicated analyst and seconded Roads Policing Sergeant. The study will allow us to learn from previous collisions and introduce new preventative measures to further mitigate risk to all road users. To date, Police Scotland has delivered on all its commitments made to support the Road Safety Framework 2030. 6.3 We continue to work with the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and a range of other road safety partners to improve road safety in Scotland. Road safety will always be a priority with Officers supporting this each day through education and enforcement. Authors of Report: Chief Inspector Chris Kerr North East Division Police Scotland Inspector Lorraine Mackie Road Policing Division Police Scotland Background Papers: n/a Ref: n/a Page 99
Page 100
Page 100
Page 101
REPORT TO: POLICE AND FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES COMMITTEE SUBJECT: SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE MORAY THEMATIC REPORT MAY 2024 BY: LSO ANDREW WRIGHT, LOCAL SENIOR OFFICER, ABERDEEN CITY, ABERDEENSHIRE & MORAY 1. REASON FOR REPORT To inform the Committee of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Road Traffic Collision (RTC) attendance and prevention in Moray. This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III (j) (1) of the Council's Scheme of Administration relating to Police and Fire and Rescue Services in Moray. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee consider and note the contents of the thematic report (Appendix 1). 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 A key priority of our Strategic Plan 2019-22 is to ensure Our collaborative and targeted Prevention and Protection activities improve community safety and wellbeing and support sustainable economic growth. (Outcome 1). . 3.2 The purpose of this report is to provide the committee with an overview of; • SFRS Attendance at Road traffic Collisions in Moray • SFRS Road Traffic Collision Prevention initiatives and collaboration in Moray. 3.3 The report will also provide statistical information detailing the SFRS performance in relation to; Road Traffic Collisions attended. This also includes Item 8. Page 101
Page 102
an overview of Casualties and Fatalities resulting from Road Traffic Collisions within the SFRS, North Service Delivery Area, Aberdeen City Aberdeenshire & Moray LSO Area and Specifically Moray. 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) The discharging of the Council’s responsibilities in relation to the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 is of direct relevance to the delivery of the Council’s responsibilities in relation to Community Planning and the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (b) Policy and Legal This report is brought before the Moray Police and Fire Committee within its remit for local scrutiny and governance arrangements. (c) Financial implications There are no financial implications arising from this report. (d) Risk Implications There are no risk implications arising from this report. (e) Staffing Implications There are no staffing implications arising from this report. (f) Property There are no staffing implications arising from this report. (g) Equalities/Socio Economic Impact Not Applicable (h) Consultations Not Applicable 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 The report provides the Committee with a briefing on the Road Traffic Collisions attended from April 2023 – March 2024 (with 5-year comparison) within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in Moray. 5.2 The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will continue to work towards improving our prevention and collaboration on initiatives to reduce the number and severity of RTC’s within the Moray area. Page 102
Page 103
5.3 The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will continue to improve on prevention, protection and response, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people in Moray and throughout Scotland. Author of Report: Andrew Wright, LSO, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire & Moray Page 103
Page 104
Page 104
Page 105
RTC Moray Page 1 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 Scottish Fire & Rescue Service Thematic Report Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) and Road Safety Initiatives in Moray Item 8. Page 105
Page 106
RTC Moray Page 2 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 Page 106
Page 107
RTC Moray Page 3 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 1. Background This report has been brought following a request from the Moray Police and Fire Scrutiny Committee. This was in response to statistics highlighted in both the Police Scotland and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) performance reports on Road Traffic Collisions (RTC’s) within the Moray area. 2. Overview The Moray Area has many main arterial routes through the region with a mixture of commuting, industrial, social and tourist traffic. The main A96 Aberdeen to Inverness trunk road comes in to the Moray area near Newtack Farm East of Keith and exits the area following the crawler lane at the West of Brodie. Along the route it passes through the Towns of Keith and Elgin with significant traffic flow each day. The other main routes include. • A98 from Fochabers to Crannoch Cottage East of Cullen. • A95 from West of Glenbarry to East of Tormore • A941 from Lossiemouth to Elrick (Cabrach) • A939 from East of Bridge of Brown to Lecht • A940 from Forres to Dava There are a number of busy B-roads which have a good flow of traffic throughout the day and also weekends. Overall, this amounts to a large number of vehicles and other road users on the roads in Moray each and every day. 3. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Road Traffic Collision Attendance A core part of the SFRS activity locally is responding to Non-Fire emergencies such as Road Traffic Collisions (RTC’s). Firefighters are trained to a high standard in both Extrication Rescue Techniques and Trauma Care for dealing with casualties. The crews have at their disposal the most modern equipment for extracting people in rescue situations and administering first aid to casualties. In the last period we have completed the roll out of new Powered Rescue Equipment which is battery powered and replaces the older Hydraulic Cutting Equipment (which used a combustion engine generator). This is not only a more efficient set of equipment but also reduces the risk of a high-pressure injection injury to firefighters from any equipment failure. Given the footprint the SFRS have in the Moray Area our crews can often be the first attending responders to an RTC and the early intervention with lifesaving Page 107
Page 108
RTC Moray Page 4 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 trauma care to any casualties. The SFRS appliances carry a range of trauma care equipment including defibrillators, airways, bag/valve/mask, oxygen, frac-straps, bandages, aspirators, extrication boards and many other items. This allows us to augment the provision from the Scottish Ambulance Service and support them further as an incident is resolved. The SFRS does not attend every RTC in the Moray area. There are many minor RTC’s which do not require our attendance. As such the SFRS are generally not notified of them The table below shows the RTC’s attended by the SFRS in the Moray Area year on year since 2019. The three Ward areas with the highest number of attendances have been highlighted in Red and Amber: - Road Traffic Collisions attended by SFRS in Moray Ward 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 TOTAL Buckie 1 0 1 2 4 8 Elgin North 1 1 1 2 1 6 Elgin South 4 3 6 2 4 19 Forres 5 5 2 7 6 25 Keith 6 5 7 5 6 29 Laich 9 4 10 12 9 44 Milnes 12 7 9 10 5 43 Speyside 13 4 8 7 9 41 TOTAL 51 29 44 47 44 215 The graph below gives a more visual representation of the figures: - 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 April - March Road Traffic Collisions 5yr Average Rate per 10,000 population (Moray) Page 108
Page 109
RTC Moray Page 5 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 The table below shows the number of Non-Fatal Casualties from RTCs attended by the SFRS in the Moray Area year on year since 2019. The three Ward areas with the highest number of Non-Fatal Casualties are highlighted in Red and Amber: - Road Traffic Collision Casualties attended by SFRS in Moray Ward 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 TOTAL Buckie 0 0 0 1 4 5 Elgin North 0 1 0 2 1 4 Elgin South 2 1 0 0 1 4 Forres 1 1 0 1 2 5 Keith 9 1 8 3 3 24 Laich 4 2 2 4 4 16 Milnes 6 9 10 4 7 36 Speyside 7 2 4 3 4 20 TOTAL 29 17 24 18 26 114 The table below shows the age range and number of Non-Fatal Casualties involved in the RTC’s the SFRS have attended in Moray in the last 5 years: - Age Range of Casualties Number 0-9 7 10-19 27 20-29 27 30-39 17 40-49 14 50-59 23 60-69 10 70-79 10 80-89 8 90-99 5 Not Known 24 The table below shows the casualty details from the Non-Fatal RTCs attended by the SFRS in Moray in the last 5 years: - Casualty Details Number Page 109
Page 110
RTC Moray Page 6 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 Male 81 Female 67 Driver 102 Passenger 53 Other 3 Passer-By 2 Extricated / Released 61 The table below shows the number of Fatal Casualties from RTCs attended by the SFRS in the Moray Area year on year since 2019. The three Ward areas with the highest number of Fatal Casualties are highlighted in Red and Amber: - Road Traffic Collision Fatalities attended by SFRS in Moray Ward 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 TOTAL Buckie 0 0 0 0 0 0 Elgin North 0 0 0 0 0 0 Elgin South 0 0 1 0 0 1 Forres 2 0 0 0 0 2 Keith 0 1 2 0 0 3 Laich 1 0 0 0 3 4 Milnes 2 1 1 0 0 4 Speyside 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 5 2 4 0 3 14 The table below shows the age range and number of Fatal Casualties involved in the RTC’s the SFRS have attended in Moray in the last 5 years: - Age Range of Fatalities Number 0-9 0 10-19 4 20-29 3 30-39 1 40-49 2 50-59 0 60-69 2 70-79 1 80-89 1 90-99 0 Not Known 0 Page 110
Page 111
RTC Moray Page 7 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 The table below shows the casualty details from the Fatal RTCs attended by the SFRS in Moray in the last 5 years: - Fatality Details Number Male 11 Female 3 Driver 9 Passenger 2 Other 2 Passer-By 1 Extricated / Released 3 The graph below gives a more visual representation of the Non-Fatal and Fatal Casualty figures: - 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 23/24 April - March Fatalities Casualties 5yr Average Rate per 10,000 Population (Moray) Page 111
Page 112
RTC Moray Page 8 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 4. How the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Contributes to Reducing Road Traffic Collisions in Moray The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, as well as providing Operational Response, a key workstream for the SFRS is Prevention. Across Moray relating to RTCs, this includes working closely across the area with the Moray Community Safety Hub and Public Protection Partnership. With the conclusion of the Safe Drive Stay Alive initiative in the Grampian region, locally we have been delivering the Young Drivers Intervention presentation which was developed by Police Scotland. We have also been delivering the SFRS Fatal Five presentation which covers attitudes, complacency, drink & drug awareness, commuter drivers, elderly drivers and using technology/mobile phones whilst driving. We have had a very targeted program within the secondary schools in Moray and have delivered the inputs as follows: - Date School Year 18/04/2023 Buckie High S4 18/04/2023 Buckie High S5/S6 31/05/2023 Speyside High S4/S5/S6 30/09/2023 Gordonstoun S4/S5/S6 30/11/2023 Buckie High S4 30/11/2023 Buckie High S5 01/12/2023 Buckie High S5 07/12/2023 Buckie High S6 08/12/2023 Buckie High S6 16/01/2024 Forres Academy S4 16/01/2024 Forres Academy S5 18/01/2024 Forres Academy S6 15/02/2024 Elgin Academy S4 15/02/2024 Elgin Academy S4 15/02/2024 Elgin Academy S5 19/02/2024 Elgin Academy S5 19/02/2024 Elgin Academy S6 22/02/2024 Forres Academy S4/S5/S 26/02/2024 Elgin Academy S6 26/02/2024 Elgin Academy S5/S6 28/02/2024 Elgin High S4 28/02/2024 Elgin High S5 28/02/2024 Elgin High S6 11/03/2024 Elgin Academy S4 20/03/2024 Milnes High S4/S5/S6 Overall, from this program we have delivered the input to approx. 550+ pupils from Ages 16-18 in the Moray Area. Page 112
Page 113
RTC Moray Page 9 of 9 Version [1]: April 2024 These initiatives are currently being expanded to be delivered to UHI Moray, The Royal Air Force and other major employers in the area with a view to engaging with commuters in the area. We have SFRS personnel in Moray being trained to deliver the “Bikerdown” initiative which looks to engage with the Motorcycle Community. 5. Conclusion This report provides the Committee with a briefing on the Road Traffic Collisions attended by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service within the Moray Area. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will continue to contribute towards reducing the number of Road Traffic Collisions within the Moray Area by supporting Police Scotland RTC reduction initiatives and raising awareness throughout our communities. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will continue to improve on prevention, protection and response, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people throughout Scotland. Page 113
Page 114
Page 114