Informed decision-making, community engagement and participation workstream report

6. Principles for engagement

6.1 Principles have been developed iteratively through emergent discussion and insight within work stream sessions. They are focused on a policing context and are informed by best practice which exists already, such as the National Standards for Community Engagement.

6.2 These principles have been tested within a 'live' context which informed the engagement approach to Police Scotland's Use of Body Worn Video. This process saw the principles inform engagement activity which included: two large-scale public surveys with over 18,000 responses, focus groups with survivors of domestic abuse, refugees and asylum seeking people, care experienced young people and people from black or other minority ethnic backgrounds.

6.3 This concluded with in the introduction of Body Worn Video within armed policing with the consent and support from the public through public engagement, and support for a future national roll-out to all operational officers and staff.

Our Values: Fairness, Integrity, Respect and Human Rights

Principles:

Relevance, inclusivity and approachability

• Ensuring our methods are accessible and enable meaningful two-way conversations on what matters most to communities.
• Understanding cultures and sensitivities.
• Doing things with those who are impacted.

Transparency and accountability

• Producing actionable and outcome-focused insights.
• Being open and honest about what we’re doing and why.

Innovation

• Turning problems and ideas into solutions through co-creation with communities and partner agencies.
• Taking an approach that empowers communities and enabling communities to do the engagement for the community.