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

What We Do

The Scottish Police Authority is responsible for maintaining policing. It has four specific areas of responsibility:

promoting the policing principles

supporting continuous improvement

keeping policing under review

holding the Chief Constable to account.

This section tells you in outline what the Authority does.

What We Do

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Spotlight On Policing in Scotland

This page offers some detailed insight into new developments and important topics for policing in Scotland.

The Scottish Police Authority aims to build public trust and confidence in policing. It aims to ensure that the police service in Scotland acts in the public interest, considers what is in the interest of the public, and responds to it.

Policing Performance

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Policing Budget

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Technology in Policing

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Review of Police Complaints

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Public Confidence

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Violence Against Women and Girls

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Children in Custody

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Spotlight On Policing in Scotland

Policing Performance

Policing Budget

Technology in Policing

Review of Police Complaints

Public Confidence

Violence Against Women and Girls

Children in Custody