This annual report from His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) provides an update on how HMICS has carried out its statutory function for the period of 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and follows from his previous Annual Report which was published on 30 June 2022. It also offers an assessment on the overall state, effectiveness and efficiency of policing in Scotland and on the performance of Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, (SPA) during 2022-23.

Although it has been a year of significant challenge for both Police Scotland and the SPA, overall performance remains strong with significant events and investigations delivered to a high standard at a time of difficult budgets and while officer numbers fall. The report details the first year of inspection following the publication of a three year scrutiny plan in April 2022. This plan continues to guide the inspection work and has been reviewed twice since publication to ensure that the topics under scrutiny remain relevant and improvements are being seen following the delivery of the recommendations.