Police Scotland’s crime recording called shambolic

EXCLUSIVE: Force lacks single method for logging incidents

Police Scotland has been branded “shambolic” after it emerged the unified force had no single method for recording crimes.

Almost five years on since its creation, the different divisions are still recording incidents in their own ways.

The force is now under investigation by the Scottish Information Commissioner over its refusal to share details of performance and operations.

A total of 1,043 Freedom of Information requests have been rejected on the grounds of cost since 2016.

Most refusals were due to the fact that the 13 divisions are still using their own methods to collate data and it would cost too much to process the figures.

Police Scotland said it would be 2026 before the unification of Scotland’s historical forces is fully completed – 13 years after it took control of policing.

The delivery of a single Scottish police force has been slammed as “shambolic” after it emerged different divisions are still recording crimes in different ways – almost five years after formation.

The Courier can reveal the Scottish Information Commissioner is investigating the service because of its refusal to share details of performance and operations due to the high cost of collating data from around the country.

Police Scotland said it would be 2026 before the unification of Scotland’s historical forces is fully completed – 13 years after it took control of policing.

A total of 1,043 Freedom of Information requests have been rejected on the grounds of cost since 2016.

Most refusals were due to the fact that the 13 divisions are still using their own methods to collate data.

The Courier has had a series of requests rejected because the costs would exceed the £600 threshold due to variations in procedures.

Among the refusals was a bid for information on the use of armed officers.

Another, seeking data on the number of cannabis factories detected in Scotland, was rejected because the force said it would cost too much to sift through 4,000 crime reports.

A follow-up request to hand over the crime reports was also turned down.

Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman, said: “The SNP government persistently trumpets the benefits of a centralised police force – but its shambolic delivery means the reality is very different.

“A lack of investment means policing divisions across Scotland are not able to record the most basic data in a consistent and, more importantly, usable fashion.”

Daren Fitzhenry, the Scottish Information Commissioner, said he was intervening in Police Scotland practice under his enforcement policy.

“The focus is their practices in searching for and locating information to respond to information requests,” he said. “This aims to address concerns, including the authority’s use of the ‘excessive costs’ provision in FOI law.

“The authority has agreed to a demanding action plan and we are monitoring its implementation.”

The Scottish Government and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) referred questions to Police Scotland.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Every legacy force brought with them their own systems and data services, often different from others in operation.

“The introduction of the single force led to a major transformational programme of change being created to consolidate and streamline the preexisting systems, with the aim to have one single source of information across the force.”

She said the Serving a Changing Scotland, Transformation Strategy (2026) had reaffirmed the need for a single system of reporting and the force was working towards this target.

“A range of new operational systems have been rolled out nationally,” she added. “Our Digitally Enabled Policing Programme,has been established to drive forwards delivery in this area.”