Joint Biometrics Strategy 2025-30 Consultation

Thank you to those of you who responded to our consultation on our draft Joint Biometrics Strategy 2025-2026.  

We received 1,040 responses to our online survey on our Engagement Hub. This feedback has come from individual members of the public across Scotland, as well as from organisations and groups working with people who might be impacted by our decisions. 

Our Youth Engagement Team also held dedicated and tailored sessions with 45 young people to get their views.   

We have adjusted the strategy to take account of the feedback.  Our finalised strategy will be considered for approval at the SPA Forensic Services Committee on Thursday 6 August. View Forensic Services committee papers. 

Read the Joint Biometrics Strategy 2025-30 Consultation report and updated strategy.

We asked for your views on our draft Police Scotland and Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services Joint Biometrics Strategy. 

The strategy plays a vital role in delivering our 2030 Vision for policing in Scotland which is for safer communities, less crime, supported victims and a thriving workforce, as well as our SPA Forensic Services Strategy 2025-2030.

Biometric technologies, when deployed responsibly, offer transformative opportunities for modern policing. From enhancing investigative capabilities to improving the speed and accuracy of identification, these tools are already supporting the vital work of officers and forensic services across Scotland.

This strategy is built on the firm foundation of Police Scotland’s commitment to human rights, ethical oversight, and transparency.  It aims to guide how we responsibly and effectively use biometrics to prevent harm, protect people, and build a Scotland where everyone feels safe and secure.

Most of you were supportive about the use of biometrics technologies in policing and recognised the benefits they could bring to supporting investigations and improving public safety.   

At the same time, it was clear that you were more supportive if they were used in a fair, proportional and accountable manner.  A small group of you were concerned about rights, surveillance or had a sense that this should not be a priority.

With this in mind, the feedback tells us that there is support for the strategy but that it needs to come with reassurance that the use of biometrics will remain proportionate, well-governed and subject to appropriate scrutiny.

You said we need to:

• be clearer on the scope of specific biometrics technologies, such as live facial recognition,
• reinforce safeguards, oversight and accountability,
• be more transparent on data use, retention and sharing.  Most of you agreed with maximising technology and the benefits this could bring, however, were cautious around safeguards, data retention, sharing and governance.  You suggested entirely removing the phrase “maximising technology",
• address organisational awareness through improved confidence and readiness, and
• be clearer, particularly around technical language.

• The strategy vision has been strengthened based on the feedback.
• It was clear from your feedback that Live Facial Recognition attracts considerably higher levels of public concern than other biometric technologies. To address concerns, we have built into the strategy an explanation of the different types of Facial Recognition Technologies and their current status in Police Scotland.
• To provide greater transparency and reinforce safeguards, oversight and accountability we have added a section into the strategy which describes our commitment to a Rights Based Approach. This will ensure that we are following an end-to-end process for considering the potential benefits, risks and impacts of a technology, ensuring that its use meets ethical standards such as fairness, necessity, and proportionality.  Taking a Rights Based Approach provides a formal route for public and stakeholder engagement, building on transparency and public confidence.
• We understand concerns that the outcome “Maximising Technology” could be interpreted as prioritising the technology over safeguarding and governance.  Ensuring the ethical use of technology, legal compliance and public trust is at the heart of this strategy. Therefore, we have changed this outcome to “Safer Communities through Ethical use of Technologies”.
• To address concerns around organisational awareness we will develop enhanced role specific training for relevant business areas and enhance officer and staff understanding of biometric data and capabilities. 
• We acknowledge that the strategy could have been clearer and easier to understand, particularly around some of the technical language.  We have added some further descriptions to provide more clarity.