'Proportionate Response ' policing to be rolled out across Scotland

Investigations into reports of petty theft and minor property damage were among those abandoned by officers.   

An evaluation of the project found that 2,657 police officer hours had been freed up by dropping investigations with little hope of an outcome, while those who reported crimes were given a swifter response.  

Police Scotland has now said it intends to roll out the scheme across the country in a phased basis, “with ongoing engagement and evaluation.” 

The report said the scheme had freed up police time (Image: PA)

Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond insisted that the Proportionate Response to Crime process was “not a policy of non-investigation" 

She said: “We are committed to investigating crime. Taking a proportionate response to crime is not a new concept but we’ve never had a national process or standard across Scotland. 

“Our evaluation recommends this process is rolled out across the rest of the service and we intend to do this on a phased basis with ongoing engagement and evaluation.” 

A report on the scheme found that public satisfaction rates with the police improved in the North East, while more people who contact officers also said they got an appropriate response. 

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Prior to the pilot, 72 per cent of A Division officers reported they would regularly be allocated crime reports where no proportionate lines of enquiry existed. 

At the conclusion of the pilot, 68 per cent of A Division officers said they had noticed a positive difference to their workload, while 56 per cent felt they had more time to investigate crime reports which had proportionate lines of enquiry. 

ACC Bond added: “Every crime report is subject of individual assessment of threat, harm, risk, vulnerability and for proportionate lines of investigation and evidence, and that won't change. 

“If there are no lines of enquiry that can be pursued, then we should be clear about that with the person who has contacted us.  

“The public will be informed about the progress of their report more quickly, rather than waiting days for officers to make contact to inform them of the same outcome.” 

Police Scotland said that the pilot led to quicker outcome (Image: PA)

Under the new process, every crime report will be assessed for threat, harm, risk, vulnerability and for proportionate lines of investigation and evidence as soon as it is reported. 

Police Scotland said this allows officers to quickly respond to those that are most urgent and to reduce police attendance where this is not required. 

If circumstances suggest any vulnerability police officers will attend, and the new process will not be applied. 

Some reports may be assessed and directly filed onto police systems as intelligence for local police officers.  

If no proportionate lines of enquiry are evident, the caller will be informed that they may not hear anything further. 

This means callers are informed about the progress of their report more quickly, rather than waiting days for officers to make contact and inform them of the same outcome. 

Examples of crime reports which were shelved include a report of damage to a car bumper in a car park where there was no CCTV and no note left, thefts of garden ornaments with no witnesses, and stolen parcels left by a delivery driver outside a property not covered by CCTV.  

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Another situation which saw officers drop their investigation was a report by someone whose phone had been taken from their unattended bag in a park. 

ACC Bond said: “By taking a proportionate response to crime reporting, we can give officers more time to focus on local policing, keeping people safe from harm, protecting the vulnerable, bringing criminals to justice, solving problems, and reducing offending. 

“Please continue to report crime to us. All reports are recorded and - even if they are closed - are passed to our local policing teams to be kept under review and to help build an intelligence picture enabling them to proactively respond to local concerns. 

“We have listened carefully to feedback about the process during the pilot period and we’re using this important information to further shape the process and engage with partner organisations.” 

Since the introduction of the process, public satisfaction rates in the pilot area have risen to 70 per cent in February 2024, up from 65 per cent in November 2023. 

Latest figures from our independent User Experience Survey showed that in the North East, 71 per cent of people who contacted police agreed they had received an appropriate response, rising from 57 per cent in November 2023. 

The Proportionate Response to Crime evaluation will be discussed at the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee on March 12, 2024.