Crimes with 'no associated threat, risk, harm or vulnerability' and no lines of inquiry won't be investigated in the north-east Grampian region.

Certain crimes will not investigated in Scotland's north-east region in order to "enable local police officers to focus on those crimes that have proportionate lines of inquiry".

Police Scotland has launched a pilot that will see officers based in the Grampian area return to the way of working which existed prior to the force's creation. 

Crimes with “no associated threat, risk, harm or vulnerability” and no lines of inquiry will not be investigated. For example, a theft from a garden without CCTV or eye-witness evidence may now result in no further action.

Divisional commander Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie said: “The pilot process will enable local police officers to focus on those crimes that have proportionate lines of inquiry and potentially enable them to give more time to local concerns and priorities in the area.

“We also know that sometimes people simply want to report a crime and we want to provide that service efficiently.

“Local officers will continue to review closed reports to enable them to map local crime trends and this may mean an inquiry is reopened and investigated.”

Part of the rationale for this pilot is that it should allow for the better use of a 2023/24 budget that former chief constable Sir Iain Livingstone warned actually represents a real-terms reduction. 

This is because while policing will receive a £80m uplift for the next financial year, £37m of this is going towards meeting the costs of the 2022/23 pay review.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “The Scottish Government has increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £11.6 billion since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013, despite difficult financial circumstances due to UK Government austerity.”

They said that while it is for the chief constable to make operational decisions, it's vital that Police Scotland "continues to inspire public trust and maintains relationships with local communities".

In another initiative geared towards balancing the books, last month the force announced a consultation into how specialist road policing resources are used ahead of making possible changes.