Police focus on welfare and environment

Police Scotland’s priorities for the next six years have been revealed, with a new emphasis on the welfare of officers.

The areas of priority identified by the police are detailed under the umbrella categories of crime and security, confidence, partnerships, sustainability, people and evidence in its Strategic Police Priorities for Scotland document.

Police Scotland says it wants to support and empower a diverse group of staff “with a focus on workforce development and overall well-being”.

As part of its sustainability focus, the force aims to consider “the environmental impact of policing and its operations”, while the confidence section calls for “ethical, open and transparent” behaviour to build public trust.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “These priorities reflect the broad remit of policing, from crime prevention and investigation to our crucial, but contributory, role in improving the wider well-being of communities.

“I am committed to relentlessly improving how we reflect, engage with and serve our communities, ensuring we uphold our values of human rights, fairness, integrity and respect.

“Reform has helped to maintain responsive and visible local policing in our communities and transformed how serious crime and major incidents are dealt with while policing is asked to deliver around £200 million of annual savings compared to legacy arrangements.”