Police handling of third-party reports in Scotland
FixASB enables members of the public to report persistent anti-social behaviour and problems affecting shared places. Where appropriate, information submitted through FixASB may be notified to Police Scotland. This guidance is intended for police in Scotland.
A FixASB notification should not be treated simply as unsolicited correspondence or disregarded because it has been submitted electronically by an intermediary or third-party. Depending on the circumstances, it may constitute a third-party report of crime, an incident report or intelligence and should be assessed accordingly.
Third-party reports of crime
The Scottish Crime Recording Standard (SCRS) 2026–27 expressly recognises third-party reporting.
Section H (opens external site) defines a third-party report as a report of a crime, incident or intelligence made to police by a partner agency, organisation, group or person on behalf of a third party who has not reported the matter by another means. Such reports may be made by telephone, letter, email, other electronic communication or in person.
FixASB notifications are therefore capable of falling within the SCRS third-party reporting framework.
The fact that a notification arrives by email should not alter its assessment. Section G (opens external site) of the SCRS provides that reports made through internet reporting arrangements are to be assessed and recorded appropriately. Where an email relates to something other than a recordable crime, the relevant department should nevertheless be notified so that it can be acted upon appropriately.
Where the information discloses a crime
The fundamental SCRS test remains the same regardless of how information reaches Police Scotland.
A crime should be recorded where the circumstances amount to a crime under Scots law or an offence under statute and there is no credible evidence to the contrary. The SCRS describes the approach as one of “record to investigate”, supporting a victim-centred service.
The minimum information ordinarily required to create a crime report is:
an approximate date or date range;
an approximate locus; and
sufficient information about the circumstances or modus operandi to identify the apparent crime type.
Where this information is available, recording should not ordinarily be postponed simply to conduct further investigation. Crimes must be recorded as soon as reasonably practicable and normally within 72 hours of the incident first being notified to police.
For example, a FixASB notification containing photographs and information that a bus shelter has deliberately been smashed should not be classified as merely “anti-social behaviour” without consideration of whether the circumstances disclose vandalism or another criminal offence.
Similarly, reports concerning threatening behaviour, assault, theft, fire-raising or other conduct should be assessed according to the facts reported rather than according to the broader FixASB category under which the issue was submitted.
Where the victim has not reported the matter
Third-party reporting is particularly relevant where somebody other than the direct victim brings an apparent crime to police attention.
The SCRS provides that where a third party reports a crime but the victim will not engage sufficiently to confirm it, a crime will not necessarily be recorded, although the circumstances should still be retained within an incident record.
There is, however, an important exception. Where sufficient details are reported by an apparently reliable witness who considers that a crime has been committed, a crime will be recorded. The SCRS gives the example of a reliable witness reporting an assault upon another person in a public street.
Police officers and staff should therefore assess the quality and content of the information supplied through FixASB rather than assuming that the absence of a direct report from the victim prevents crime recording.
This may be particularly relevant to offences affecting public infrastructure or community assets, where the person who witnesses or discovers damage will frequently not be the owner of the property.
Where victim confirmation is necessary and the victim is identifiable, the SCRS also provides that reasonable attempts should be made to contact the victim before an incident is closed. Those attempts should be documented.
Anonymous information is treated differently: the SCRS requires corroborative evidence before an anonymous allegation is converted into a crime report. A FixASB notification which contains identifiable reporter details available to Police Scotland should not be treated as anonymous simply because those details are withheld from the public-facing FixASB page.
Anti-social behaviour which is not itself criminal
Not every instance of anti-social behaviour constitutes a criminal offence.
The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 (opens external site) provides the principal Scottish statutory framework. For most purposes of the Act, a person engages in antisocial behaviour where they act in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress, or pursue a course of conduct having that effect on at least one person who is not a member of the same household. A “course of conduct” involves behaviour on at least two occasions. Scottish Government guidance also makes clear that it is the effect or likely effect of the behaviour that matters; it is not always necessary for the person directly affected to give evidence themselves.
A report should therefore be assessed on its facts.
Where criminality is disclosed, the applicable crime-recording rules should be followed. Where no crime is disclosed but the circumstances amount to anti-social behaviour, disorder or information relevant to community safety, the report may still merit recording, local policing attention, intelligence assessment or referral to an appropriate partner.
An “ASB” label should not itself be used as a reason either to create or to avoid creating a crime report.
Working with local authorities and other partners
The Scottish statutory framework deliberately envisages anti-social behaviour as a multi-agency responsibility.
Part 1 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 (opens external site) requires local authorities and the Chief Constable to prepare strategies for dealing with anti-social behaviour. Scottish Government guidance emphasises that joint working between the police and relevant authorities is vital and that local ASB strategies provide the framework for that cooperation.
Section 139 of the 2004 Act (opens external site) also makes provision for information to be disclosed and shared with relevant authorities where doing so is necessary or expedient for the purposes of the Act or other legislation concerned with anti-social behaviour or its effects. The Scottish Government guidance specifically identifies the Chief Constable and local authorities amongst the relevant authorities for these purposes.
Accordingly, where a FixASB notification is principally a matter for a council, registered social landlord or another agency, appropriate referral or partnership working may be more suitable than simply closing the report.
Maintaining an auditable record
The SCRS places considerable emphasis on the audit trail surrounding recording decisions.
Where an incident initially suggests criminality but enquiries subsequently establish that no crime occurred, the incident record should explain the evidence and reasoning that displaced the original inference of criminality. The SCRS specifically states that disposals such as “reported for information only”, “no complaint” or “advice given” are not sufficient where the circumstances infer criminality.
Where a crime report is created, its reference should also be linked to the corresponding incident record.
FixASB therefore asks Police Scotland, wherever practicable, to provide the relevant incident or crime reference so that the person who submitted the original report can understand how their information has been handled and can provide further information where appropriate.
A practical approach to FixASB notifications
When a FixASB notification is received, we suggest that it is considered in the following sequence:
Does the information disclose possible criminality? If so, assess it under the Scottish Crime Recording Standard rather than treating it solely as ASB.
Does it meet the minimum information required for crime recording? Consider the date or period, locus and circumstances described.
Is it a third-party report? Consider Section H of the SCRS, including the provisions concerning sufficiently detailed reports from apparently reliable witnesses.
If no crime is recorded, does the information nevertheless disclose anti-social behaviour, disorder, vulnerability or useful intelligence?
Is another agency better placed to take action? Consider referral or partnership working with the relevant local authority, landlord, transport provider or other body.
Record the decision and provide an appropriate reference, where practicable.
FixASB does not seek to determine whether a crime has occurred or to replace Police Scotland's operational judgement. Our purpose is to ensure that useful information supplied by members of the public reaches the appropriate organisation in a structured form and can contribute to an accurate picture of persistent crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour in Scotland.
This guidance reflects the Scottish Crime Recording Standard 2026–27, published by the Scottish Government on 14 August 2026, and the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 and associated Scottish Government guidance.
