Criminal Allegations Against the Police (CAAPs), 2021-22 to 2025-26
CAAP cases received, with outcomes
Reporting standards in criminal allegations against the police (CAAP) cases have a direct impact on outcomes.
In cases where the accused is not an on-duty police officer, a report is normally made to COPFS only where the police or other reporting agency assesses that there is sufficient evidence to establish that a crime has been committed and that the accused person is responsible. Police direct measures can be used for less serious offending and the matter may never be reported to COPFS.
In CAAP cases however, all allegations where criminality can reasonably be inferred are referred to COPFS, regardless of whether there is sufficient evidence or if ordinarily a police direct measure would be appropriate.
|
Statistics on Case Processing: Last 5 Years |
2021-2022 |
2022-2023 |
2023-2024 |
2024-2025 |
2025-2026 |
|
Total CAAPs received |
262 |
195 |
200 |
217 |
219 |
|
Closed Prosecute |
8 |
11 |
20 |
9 |
23 |
|
Closed No Action |
254 |
184 |
180 |
205 |
170 |
|
Ongoing |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
26 |
CAAP target
CAAP target(1) - Complete investigation of complaints of criminal conduct by police officers and advise complainer of the outcome within 6 months of the report to the Procurator Fiscal in at least 75% of cases.
| Statistics on case processing: last 5 years | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | 2023 - 2024 | 2024 - 2025 | 2025 - 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | NA | 84% | 95% | 90% | 92% |
CAAP Victim Right to Review cases received with outcomes
| Statistics on case processing: last 5 years | 2021 - 2022 | 2022 - 2023 | 2023 - 2024 | 2024 - 2025 | 2025 - 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total CAAP VRR cases | 28 | 28 | 22 | 14 | 16 |
| Upheld | 26 | 28 | 20 | 14 | 14 |
| Withdrawn | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Overturned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Partially upheld/overturned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Information notes
(1) This COPFS target was introduced on 1 July 2021, therefore no target information is available for 2021-22.
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Equality and diversity statistics
CAAP complainers issued with a monitoring form in the year 2025-2026
- CAAP complainers issued with E&D monitoring form in the year 2025-26: 153
- Responses: 52
- Response Rate: 34%
Of those who responded, the number who identified as belonging to each category within the form as follows.
Note: Totals do not always match the number of returned forms due to some respondents not having completed all categories.
Age group
|
Age group |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
16-24 |
2 |
|
25-34 |
7 |
|
35-44 |
10 |
|
45-54 |
14 |
|
55-64 |
10 |
|
65-74 |
2 |
|
Above 74 |
0 |
|
Total |
45 |
Sex/gender
At birth you were described as?
|
Sex/gender |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Male |
27 |
|
Female |
23 |
|
Intersex |
0 |
|
Don’t know |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
0 |
|
Total |
50 |
How would you describe your gender?
|
Sex/gender |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Woman |
23 |
|
Man |
27 |
|
Transwoman |
0 |
|
Transman |
0 |
|
Non-binary |
0 |
|
Don’t know |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
0 |
|
Other |
0 |
|
Total |
50 |
Sexual orientation
|
Sexual orientation |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Heterosexual or straight |
41 |
|
Gay |
1 |
|
Lesbian |
1 |
|
Bisexual |
0 |
|
Other sexual orientation (please state) |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
1 |
|
Total |
44 |
Ethnicity
White
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Scottish |
37 |
|
English |
2 |
|
Welsh |
0 |
|
Irish |
1 |
|
British |
1 |
|
Gypsy/ Traveller |
1 |
|
Prefer not to say |
1 |
|
Other |
3 |
Asian
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Indian, Indian Scottish or Indian British |
0 |
|
Pakistani, Pakistani Scottish or Pakistani British |
1 |
|
Bangladeshi, Bangladeshi Scottish or Bangladeshi British |
0 |
|
Chinese, Chinese Scottish or Chinese British |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
0 |
|
Other |
0 |
African
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
African, African Scottish or African British |
3 |
|
Prefer not to say |
0 |
|
Other |
1 |
Caribbean or Black
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Caribbean, Caribbean Scottish or Caribbean British |
0 |
Arab
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Arab, Arab Scottish or Arab British |
1 |
Mixed/ Multiple Ethnic Groups
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Any mixed or multiple ethnic groups please state |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
0 |
Other
|
Ethnicity |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Other |
0 |
Religion or belief
|
Religion or belief |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
None |
28 |
|
Church of Scotland |
6 |
|
Roman Catholic |
8 |
|
Other Christian |
2 |
|
Buddhist |
0 |
|
Hindu |
0 |
|
Jewish |
0 |
|
Muslim |
0 |
|
Sikh |
0 |
|
Prefer not to say |
2 |
|
Other |
0 |
|
Total |
46 |
Disability
Do you have any of the following, which have lasted, or are expected to last, at least 12 months?
Note: Respondents could select more than one option.
|
Disability |
Number of people who selected this option |
|
Deafness or partial hearing loss |
5 |
|
Blindness or partial sight loss |
0 |
|
Full or partial loss of voice or difficulty speaking (a condition that requires you to use equipment to speak) |
0 |
|
Learning disability (a condition that you have had since childhood that affects the way you learn, understand information and communicate) |
2 |
|
Learning difficulty (a specific learning condition that affects the way you learn and process information) |
1 |
|
Developmental disorder (a condition that you have had since childhood which affects motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills, and speed and language) |
1 |
|
Physical disability (a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting or carrying) |
6 |
|
Mental health condition (a condition that effects your emotional, physical and mental wellbeing) |
16 |
|
Long term illness, disease or condition (a condition, not listed above, that you may have for life, which may be managed with treatment or medication) |
7 |
|
Other condition |
3 |
|
No condition |
9 |
|
Total |
50 |
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