Report Summary
This report provides members of the Scottish Police Authority with an overview of information relating to the Police Service, policing and the state of crime.
To access the full document please open the PDF document above.
To view as accessible content please use the sections below. (Note that tables and some appendixes are not available as accessible content).
Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Meeting of the Scottish Police Authority - 26 June 2025
Date : 26 June 2025
Location : Caledonian Suite, COSLA, Verity House, 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh, EH12 5BH
Less Crime
Sextortion education resource
On Monday, 9 June, our Cyber Harm Preventions team supported the launch of an education resource by Fearless, the youth service of Crimestoppers, during an event in Aberdeen.
The resource aims to give teachers accessible and practical help to spark meaningful conversations about sextortion with young people.
The event and resource are the latest element of Fearless’s sextortion campaign which focuses on reassuring victims that they are not alone and that there is support available to them.
Sextortion is a form of blackmail and can have a devastating impact on young people and their families and it is vital those targeted by this criminality know that they can contact the police and that help is available.
Shopwatch
Earlier this month, our Retail Crime Taskforce supported Essential Edinburgh, a co-operative representing businesses, and working with the City of Edinburgh Council for the Shopwatch programme.
The programme links city centre businesses through a network of radios to share information between retailers, police officers and the local authority to deter retail offences taking place within these premises, and to ensure those responsible for retail crime, such as shoplifting can be more quickly identified and arrested, with eight arrests as a direct result of Shopwatch information sharing.
Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC)
On Thursday, 19 June 2025, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) will unveil their new strategy for dealing with rural crime for the period of 2025-2028 at the Royal Highland Show. This is the third Iteration of the SPARC strategy, which will enter its 10th year next year.
The strategy sets out how the members of SPARC, including Police Scotland, will work to address rural offences across the country such as the theft of agricultural equipment and farming vehicles, as well as the theft or killing of livestock.
We will continue to work closely with key stakeholders, such as the National Farmers Union (NFU) and those who work within Scotland's farming sector, to send a clear message that rural communities are not an easy target for criminals.