People in Scotland have been urged to describe their experiences of dealing with police in a move to build public confidence in the service.

An independent review by former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini is scrutinising the arrangements in Scotland for complaints handling, investigations and misconduct in relation to policing.

Evidence is to be gathered from members of the public, former and serving police officers, and a wide range of organisations.

A review was announced after concerns were raised over the way in which investigations are carried out into senior police officers, including former chief constable Phil Gormley.

Mr Gormley resigned five months after a series of probes had begun into allegations of gross misconduct.

The review, which was jointly commissioned by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, aims to make recommendations to improve transparency and strengthen confidence in policing in Scotland.

Commission on Women Offenders report
Former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini QC is carrying out the review (Mark Runnacles/PA)

Dame Elish said: “I have been asked by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Lord Advocate to make recommendations to help strengthen public confidence in policing in Scotland.

“Only by listening to a broad range of views and looking at the respective roles and practices of Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will I be able to achieve that.

“There has been a lot of public debate about police complaints. I want to hear about people’s real-life experience of their dealings with Police Scotland, as well as gathering evidence from police officers and interested organisations.

“It is in all our interests – public, police and staff – that we have trust and confidence in the system; know that it is fair, transparent, accountable and proportionate, and be sure that it will always protect the rights of all those involved.”