Your Police 2022-2023

Our Your Police 2023-24 survey is now live.

In April 2022, Police Scotland refreshed its local policing survey to gather views from Scotland’s diverse communities. Your Police 2022-2023 remained open throughout the year and helped us understand people’s opinions of policing in their local area, as well as tell us about any concerns regarding their area which was affecting their safety or wellbeing.

Your feedback via the survey has helped us ensure that our policing services in your community were high quality by supporting the communities we serve.

In total, we received 16,953 responses over 12 months, including over 50,000 free-text responses. There were 1,011 responses received in March 2023 alone – highlighting the continued dedication of local policing divisions in listening to the communities they serve.

The average public confidence level for the period April 2022 – March 2023 was 38%. This includes people who either ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that they have confidence in local police. Confidence levels among organisations who responded to Your Police (300 organisations) averaged 52%. 

We learned that things which effect public confidence include police visibility and accessibility, community engagement and the values and behaviours of our officers and staff. We also know that events taking place in local areas that attracted a large police presence had an impact on public confidence. Public confidence exists across all of our 13 local policing divisions.

Policing in your local area

Just less than three quarters of the people who responded to Your Police told us that they feel safe in their local areas – an average of 73% of people said they felt safe and this has remained the high over the past year. However, we know that there are people who feel less safe for a variety of reasons and the Service is now working to take action based on your feedback.

• 62% of those who took part in Your Police told us that police are friendly and approachable;
• 30% of people said that the police listen to the concerns of local people; and,
• 22% said the police deal with local issues.

A large number of respondents said they ‘don’t know’ when asked about these measures. We are now working with our Public Confidence Governance Board to enhance and expand our engagement within Scotland’s diverse communities. This board is chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond.

Concern about crime

40% of people told us their concern about crime had remained the same while 25% said their concern had increased a lot, and 32% said their concern has raised a little. Only 3% said it had decreased. We know that people with disabilities and those who live in areas most affected by poverty have more concern about crime.

Generally, concerns have included: anti-social behaviour (particularly at nights and weekends), speeding and dangerous driving (specifically in rural areas), house break-ins, drug taking and dealing and wider vulnerability concerns about relatives and neighbours.

Greater engagement being required with children and young people, including those who support them - such as youth workers, teachers, and sports clubs - was also highlighted.

On what matters most to the public (from open-ended responses), constant themes included: visibility (a local presence), communicating and engaging with the public, and understanding the needs of diverse communities.

Your Police continues to be the largest of its kind in the UK to involve the public in a conversation about policing and their local community. Responses have been reviewed regularly by senior police officers and have helped us act quickly in relation to emerging issues; helping shape our approaches to operational policing across Scotland.

We have compared our data with other national public surveys to ensure that Your Police continues to provide robust insights to support effective and high quality policing in communities throughout Scotland.

Five things we have done with your feedback

Further, we have developed the ways that we share your feedback internally so that your local policing teams are aware of what matters to you. We have developed insight dashboards and local area commanders are using them to inform what they do locally. 

Your feedback has also shaped the Annual Police Plan 2023-24 and Local Police Plans 2023-26.

Thank you

We are grateful to all who participated in Your Police during 2022-23. Our Research and Insight team continue to review every response in detail and provide detailed reporting to senior management and the Scottish Police Authority (which is the body that helps ensure an effective and high-quality service).

Responses to Your Police will continue to feed into decision-making structures within Police Scotland on a regular basis. Police Scotland’s ‘Public Confidence Governance Board’ will build on the actions taken from the survey and continue to shape our approaches to improving public contact and engagement.

We are enhancing our local and national approaches to community engagement, and involving more people in more decisions about their police service in new ways. More information is in our projects section.

Further information: Any clarifications or questions about this update can be made by contacting the Research and Insight team:

InsightEngagement@scotland.police.uk