Report Summary
This report provides members of the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee with additional information and context in relation to the number of outstanding live warrants.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Policing Performance Committee - 16 September 2025
Date : 09 December 2025
Location : online
Conclusion
The number of warrants being issued continues to rise and the rate of execution / disposal of warrants compared to warrants issued, continues to be a challenge.
There has been a 22% increase in warrants received when comparing 2023 to 2025 and whilst in 2025 there were 29,858 warrants executed / disposed, which is higher than 2024 and 2023, the rate of disposal has significantly slowed down. Which is indicative of demand outstripping capacity.
This needs to be considered against the wider, increasingly complex demands and threats which Policing are facing, whilst having less officers and an overall reduced workforce.
To address the high number of outstanding warrants, the following work is underway:
Police Scotland will continue to prioritise resources in respect of warrant execution based on threat, risk and harm to ensure communities are kept safe.
An internal review has commenced to understand if there are opportunities to enhance our approach to the management, allocation and governance of warrants within the challenging landscape outlined in this paper.
Police Scotland will engage with and collaborate with criminal justice partners to understand if there are additional measures and different approaches within the wider criminal justice system which can be implemented.
