Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012

[F136ACode of ethicsS

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(1)The chief constable must prepare a code of ethics for the Police Service (to be known as “the Code of Ethics for Policing in Scotland”) as soon as is reasonably practicable after section 2 of the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Act 2025 comes into force.

(2)The code of ethics is a code which sets out the values of the Police Service and expectations relating to the conduct and practice of its constables and of police staff.

(3)The chief constable must involve the Authority in the preparation of the code of ethics and the Authority must provide the chief constable with such assistance as the chief constable may reasonably require in that regard.

(4)In preparing the code of ethics, the chief constable must have regard to—

(a)the policing principles set out in section 32,

(b)the standards of behaviour referred to in section 52(2)(a)(i),

(c)the European Code of Police Ethics adopted as Recommendation Rec(2001)10 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the European Code of Police Ethics, by the Committee of Ministers on 19 September 2001 at the 765th meeting of the Ministers’ deputies,

(d)the United Nations’ Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by General Assembly resolution 34/169 of 17 December 1979,

(e)the United Nations’ Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana, Cuba, 27 August to 7 September 1990,

(f)Convention rights within the meaning of section 1 of the Human Rights Act 1998,

(g)the rights and obligations set out in the schedule of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, and

(h)such other human rights contained in any international convention, treaty or other international instrument ratified by the United Kingdom as the chief constable considers relevant.

(5)The chief constable must—

(a)publish the code of ethics on a website maintained by or on behalf of the Police Service and in such other manner as the chief constable considers appropriate,

(b)lay a copy of it before the Scottish Parliament, and

(c)secure that—

(i)all such steps are taken as the chief constable considers necessary to ensure that all constables and police staff have read and understood it, and

(ii)a record is made and kept by the chief constable of the steps taken in relation to each constable and member of staff.]

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