Question reference: S6W-26498
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 10 April 2024
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Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 May 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's decision not to investigate every crime, what its response is to reported comments by Police Scotland that criminals could be handed a "tactical advantage" if police guidance on what crimes will no longer be investigated by officers is published.
Answer
Every call received by Police Scotland is individually assessed using the THRIVE model – Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative opportunity, Vulnerability and Engagement. Every crime report is different and it is simply not the case that certain specific crimes will no longer be investigated as part of the Proportionate Response to Crime pilot in the North East.
As part of their evaluation of the pilot that was undertaken in the North East, Police Scotland published a number of real life examples that highlighted the diversity in the range of calls received and how they were assessed and responded to. I would particularly draw the member’s attention to the examples where, while the crime appeared to be relatively minor, there were investigative opportunities, meaning that the incident was passed to local policing.
It is important to remember that the pilot’s evaluation shows that only 5% of crime reports were recorded and filed for no further enquiry. The evaluation states that this freed up 2,657 police officer hours which were therefore used to investigate crimes where there are lines of inquiry.
On the basis that Police Scotland are clearly not going to disclose details of their operational tactics, I am fully supportive of their approach.