Who We Are

The Scottish Police Authority is independent of both the Scottish Government and policing. It is the primary governance body for policing in Scotland, and was established as a public body on 1 April 2013 by the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. It was set up to hold the Chief Constable to account; promote, support and oversee improvement in policing. It is also responsible for the management and delivery of Forensic Services in Scotland and Independent Custody Visiting Scotland.

In this section, find out more about the Authority’s priorities, the Board and the Leadership team.

Who We Are

Complaints

Are you dissatisfied with the service you have received from policing in Scotland?

The Scottish Police Authority, Police Scotland and the Police Investigations and Reviews Commissioner (PIRC) all have a role to play in considering complaints about policing in Scotland.

In this section, find out who to direct your complaint to. We also welcome written communication in Gaelic (see our Gaelic Language Plan).

Complaints

Publication Library

The Authority is committed to conducting its activity in an open and transparent manner, and in a way that builds trust and confidence in policing.

In this section we aim to make as much of our information as possible available, accessible and searchable. Our publication scheme summarises all of the information we publish. This aims to improve public access to the information we hold and encouraging public awareness of, and participation in, the decisions we make.

Where possible we provide a suitable HTML alternative and / or make documents accessible. Please contact us if you would like to request a corporate publication in an alternative format.

Scottish Police Authority - Publication Scheme

Committee

Topic

Scottish Police Authority Corporate Parenting Plan - Progress Update - 6 December 2023

Published: 01 December 2023

Published: 01 March 2024

Publication

View Publication

RPAS Update - 15 June 2023

Published: 15 June 2023

Publication Policing Performance Committee

View Publication

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Publication Library

Scottish Police Authority Corporate Parenting Plan - Progress Update - 6 December 2023

Scottish Police Authority Budget 2025-26 - 27 March 2025

Scottish Police Authority & Police Scotland payments above £25,000: 2021 - 2022

Scottish Police Authority & Police Scotland payments above £25,000: 2021 - 2022

Scottish Police Authority & Police Scotland payments above £25,000: 2020 - 2021

Scottish DNA Database Archive Statistics - April 2015 - March 2021

Scottish Crime & Justice Survey - 16 September 2025

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner’s Thematic Review of Children & Thematic Review of Vulnerable Persons Recommendations - 6 December 2023

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Annual Update - 28 November 2024

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Annual Update - 27 November 2025

Sanas-peanais suidhichte rè a’ phandemic - Duilleag Fiosrachaidh - Dàmhair 2021

RPAS Update - 15 June 2023