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.
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
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Enhance local police presence at identified key locations (including scenic areas, parks, urban areas), with a focus on patrolling during the evenings and after dark. We have also developed our geospatial tool which allows people to tell us specific areas in their community they feel less safe. People told us a visible police presence was important in making them feel safe. We have shared these locations with local policing teams. |
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Update our local community partners on a regular basis, through local police scrutiny boards in each local authority area – using the data to design an appropriate policing response for local needs. |
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Shape our communications and advice in local areas in response to concerns and feedback from the public – helping people to stay safe. For example, enforcing more patrols and speed checks in particular areas of concern mentioned. |
| Working with local divisions to provide insights to help develop Local Police Plans. These set out the policing priorities and objectives for each local area. |
| Engaging more with seldom-heard communities to ensure more voices are being heard in regards to worries/concerns in local areas. |
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:
Police Scotland has continued to meet the needs of our communities during a demanding and difficult period for the people of Scotland. Understanding the views and priorities of Scotland's diverse communities is fundamental to how Police Scotland responds to the needs of the public. Our public engagement activities help us improve how we deliver our policing services in local communities, ensuring they are accessible for everyone.
What happens with what you tell us
It is vital that we listen, understand, and take action using your views and experiences. Outcome 3 of our Joint Strategy for Policing (2020) creates the space within policing to inform our services using this rich insight. Our Annual Police Plan 2022/23 sets out what we will do to keep our communities safe and this has been developed using your responses to last year's survey, along with focus groups, workshops and other ways we listen to communities.
We report the feedback from this survey in ways which are practical for policing and inform service delivery. A report is prepared each quarter for the Scottish Police Authority's 'Policing Performance Committee'. This is just one of the ways that policing is scrutinised, which is important as it helps us ensure we are policing with the consent of the people of Scotland.
Complete the survey in a different way
A British Sign Language version of this survey is available here. You may find this version easier if you use BSL to communicate.
This survey is available in Easy Read. If you need this, you can download it from the bottom of this page.
Please let us know if you want to complete the survey in a different way (for example, over the phone): InsightEngagement@scotland.police.uk.
Reporting a crime or providing information about an incident
Please note that this platform is not for reporting crime, providing information about an incident, or asking us for help. To find out ways to contact the police, please visit our website. If you or someone else needs police assistance, please dial 101, or in an emergency use 999.
Your personal information
Your response is anonymous and you will not be identified through the information you provide unless you choose to identify yourself in your responses.
At the end of the survey, we ask for personal details to ensure we receive a comprehensive range of responses. Please note that you do not have to answer these questions.
By completing this survey, you agree to Police Scotland using your anonymised data for analysis and reporting that will improve the service we provide.
Police Scotland is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We have robust procedures in place to ensure that any data that you provide is processed and stored securely. We will never pass your data on to any third parties without your express consent. We also meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 (General Data Protection Regulation or 'GDPR').
Young Scot Membership
If you are a young person aged 12-25, there is more information about how to claim your 150 Rewards points shown after you submit your response. Not a Member yet? Go to young.scot to sign up.
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