Report Summary
This report provides members of the Complaints & Conduct Committee with an overview of HMICS Assurance Review of Vetting – Progress Update.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Complaints & Conduct Committee - 4 September 2025
Date : 04 September 2025
Location : Online
Background
On 3 October 2023, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) published a report following an ‘Assurance review of vetting policy and procedures within Police Scotland’.
The report contains 15 recommendations and identifies areas for development to improve Police Scotland’s vetting of its officers and staff and subsequent identification and management of risk.
HMICS considered the history of vetting in Scotland in the years prior to the creation of Police Scotland in 2013. It reviewed vetting case files of officers and staff over a 4 year period between 2019 and 2022 as well as examining guidance and policy which currently provide the basis for vetting in Police Scotland.
Since publication of this report the Police Scotland Force Vetting Unit (FVU) have been working towards discharging all 15 recommendations.
As per the date of submission of this report the FVU have successfully discharged 6 of the 15 recommendations. Work is ongoing into all 9 additional recommendations.
