Police action to tackle stalking and harassment
The Police Service in Scotland commits significant resources to Public Protection with monitoring and referral systems in place for victims of abuse and stalking. Force contact centres have procedures in place to prioritise calls and police work alongside partner agencies to provide a quality service to victims and as well as providing safety advice, physical safety measures are often put in place. These measures are adopted on a case-by-case basis, taking account of all the facts and circumstances, and applying risk assessment techniques.
In relation to suspects, a positive arrest policy exists and in consultation with Crown Office, all efforts are made to secure appropriate Bail conditions or remand, to deny the offender the opportunity to continue to offend.
Training and Awareness Raising
The Police have invested in specialised training and general awareness-raising to ensure that the issues raised by stalking and harassment will be recognised and dealt with. Forces have trained Domestic Abuse Liaison Officers who have an in-depth knowledge of stalking and the effects of harassment. All probationer constables receive training on the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The recently established Strathclyde Police Domestic Abuse Task Force, who are responsible for responding to issues of domestic abuse, have investigated cases of stalking with some success. It is planned that the good practice undertaken by the Taskforce will be disseminated to other Forces.
Support for Victims
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) works closely with Victim Support Scotland (VSS) and the VSS national strategy for support of victims is currently being reviewed as part of the continued commitment to providing this service. The issue of support for victims is also being examined through the ACPOS Criminal Justice Business Area.
More information, support and advice for victims of crime can be found on the Victims of Crime in Scotland website.