Issue - meetings

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to thank Police Scotland for their informative report; and

(ii)            to note the report. 

The Committee had before it a report by Police Scotland, which updated Members in regards to the nature and extent of mental health challenges in the community and their impacts on policing.

The report advised that Police Scotland recognised that mental health calls created substantial pressures on their service and placed a growing demand on their front-line resources.  The report also noted that keeping people safe underpinned everything Police Scotland did, and that they would always respond to threat, harm, and risk to ensure public safety. However it had been clear over recent years that policing involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people had gone beyond where it should be.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee discuss, comment on, and endorse the report.

Members asked a number of questions in relation to the report and these were answered by Superintendent Jason Carrigan, Chief Inspector Vicky Stables and Chief Inspector George Nixon.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to thank Police Scotland for their informative report; and

(ii)            to note the report.