Background

BACKGROUND

The Police Scotland Volunteering Coordination Unit (VCU) recently refreshed the 3 year Volunteering Plan and related Implementation Plan following extensive consultation with key stakeholders, local policing divisions and the volunteers themselves. The plan was approved at the Volunteer Programme Board on 30 September 2025 which is chaired by ACC Bond and will be published shortly.

Police Scotland highly values its volunteers, who have contributed significantly to policing for over a century, primarily through the Special Constables (SCs) and the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers (PSYV) programme.

These volunteer programmes not only provide crucial operational support, crime prevention, and community engagement, but they also offer personal development opportunities, foster inclusivity, and reflect a significant return on investment.

The dedication shown by our Special Constables is exceptional. As volunteers, they give their time freely, often balancing family responsibilities and full-time employment, to serve the people of Scotland.

Special Constables provided over 55,057 volunteering hours during 2024/25, directly supporting operational service delivery. Their efforts are a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our volunteers.

Although there has been a period of decline in the number of Special Constables across the UK, numbers have stabilised in the last two years to around 384 Special Constables across Scotland.

Police Scotland Youth Volunteers have committed their time and supported Policing at 662 Events both Nationally and Locally between April 2024 – April 2025. They have provided over 32,000 hours of volunteering in their communities across Scotland, being positive role models and good citizens.

With 36 groups in operation across Scotland, this brings the number of PSYV volunteers, youth, and adult, to almost 800.

The Volunteering Plan 2026-29, Implementation Plan and ‘Plan on a Page’ infographic are fully detailed at Appendices A, B and C respectively and look to modernise and enhance the volunteering experience of this vital policing resource.

VOLUNTEERING PLAN 2026/29

The plan is ambitious and aims to modernise our approach to volunteering. The vision is for Police Scotland to be an "organisation of choice" where the public enthusiastically volunteers their time.

The plan outlines a commitment to developing a skilled, flexible and adaptable volunteering service that expands and enhances the organisation's capability to meet modern policing demands.

The refreshed plan focuses on four key areas, each with specific actions and measures for success:

• Attraction: This objective emphasises the importance of volunteers in local and national policing. Actions include engaging with more young people through the PSYV programme and aiming for a 10% annual growth target in all volunteers.

• Recruitment: Actions include modernising the recruitment process to align with public trends and policing demands, enhancing accessibility for a wide demographic including retiring officers and using positive action to attract diverse communities.

• Training: The plan calls for modern, flexible and localised training programmes, access to specialist training in areas like cybercrime and mental health support and mechanisms for continuous learning.

• Retention: This area focuses on providing continuous growth opportunities, creating a positive and supportive internal culture where volunteers feel valued and recognising their contributions through formal awards and events.

The plan aligns with the Scottish Government's "Volunteering Action Plan" and the priority of tackling child poverty by actively engaging young people from more deprived areas.

It also supports the Police Scotland People Strategy 2024-27 and the 2030 Vision for "safer communities, less crime, supported victims and a thriving workforce".

The implementation of the strategy is overseen by a Volunteer Programme Board which is responsible for leadership, performance monitoring, and ensuring accountability through established governance frameworks.

Following approval of the plan, the VCU held an Insight Day at the Scottish Police College on 15 November 2025 where volunteers attended and provided feedback on the Implementation Plan to help inform how the actions within it can be realised. These insights are being considered and will assist in shaping how we deliver against the plan over the next 3 years.

As part of the plan and following consultation with the Scottish Government and Scottish Police Consultative Forum (SPCF), a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) is to be established to review The Police Service of Scotland (Special Constables) Regulations 2013 which are considered to be outdated and do not reflect modern policing.

Key issues that need to be review include:

• Legislation: Many aspects of the Special Constabulary continue to be governed by legislation dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. A review of the existing Special Constable regulations around areas such as pensions, and injury benefits will make sure they are contemporary, comprehensive, and inclusive.

• Exclusion from Modern Regulations: Special Constables are excluded from some regulatory frameworks that apply to regular police officers. For example, the Police Service of Scotland (Performance) Regulations 2014 do not apply to Special Constables who also do not serve a probationary period.

• Periodic Payment: The periodic payment for Special Constables, introduced in 2005, has not been reviewed since 2012. The value and criteria for receiving a payment are dated and reviewing this may provide opportunities to both retain and attract Special Constables. The current appeal process for the periodic payment also falls outside the parameters of current legal advice.