HMICS Local Policing+ Inspection of the Approach to Missing Person Investigations in Aberdeen City Division

The aim of this inspection was to assess the state, effectiveness and efficiency of the investigative arrangements for adults, children and young people reported missing in Police Scotland Aberdeen City Division. Whilst we have inspected the approach to investigation through the lens of local policing in Aberdeen, we have also had regard to the wider national arrangements by examination of broader strategic arrangements within Police Scotland. This includes a detailed assessment of national approaches to all aspects of the missing person investigations from initial reporting and recording, assessment of risk and investigation, through to management of the return and working with other agencies around harm reduction strategies. A map showing the location of Aberdeen City Division and other Police Scotland divisions is included as Appendix ‘A’ to this report. This inspection comprised the + element of a wider inspection of local policing arrangements in Aberdeen conducted early in 2015 under the HMICS Local Policing + Programme. This inspection, which forms part of our published scrutiny plan, is the third in our local policing inspection programme and follows on from our pilot inspection of Fife Division. Our findings from the local policing inspection in Aberdeen City Division are subject of a separate report which is available on the HMICS website. Our programme provides flexibility to scrutinise new and emerging issues affecting policing in Scotland. These issues are identified through a process of stakeholder engagement and informed by our scrutiny risk assessment.