In the News

Updated September 2026 to reflect the Police Service of Scotland (Vetting) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 April 2026. Every police constable in Scotland must now hold and maintain vetting clearance, and can be re-vetted throughout their career. For officers who joined under a very different regime, this is one of the most significant changes to the terms of police service in a generation. Until recently, officers were vetted on entry to the service, on re-entry,

Professor Peter Watson of PBW Law has been appointed to a panel studying the coronavirus threat for police in Scotland. ​ Professor Watson is the legal member of the panel tasked with giving specialist advice on the safeguards police require. ​ Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, and Professor George Crooks OBE, former director of primary care at NHS Grampian, are also members of the panel established by the Scottish Police Fe