Read this before you call 101

Our service advisors spend a lot of time each day answering calls. Many of these are made by people who want advice on matters that are not actually the responsibility of the police.  

Please refer to the following before making your call to 101 to report a non-emergency issue.

Civil matters

There is a difference between criminal and civil matters.

Civil matters do not come under the remit of the police and include issues such as:

• Debt
• Housing disputes
• Bankruptcy
• Divorce
• Dissolution of civil partnerships
• Parental rights and responsibilities
• Adoption
• Road crash compensation

For advice about a civil matter you should contact a lawyer. The Citizens Advice Bureau can also provide free and impartial advice.

Citizens Advice Bureau - 0800 800 9060.

Noise complaints

The Land and Environmental Services department of your Local Authority will deal with your noise complaint. 

For more information visit the Ask the Police website.

Dogs

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a dog please contact the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Tel: 03000 999 999

Your Local Authority dog warden is responsible for the collection and processing of stray dogs.

Police Scotland will not attend the report of a stray dog unless its behaviour is threatening or dangerous.

Further advice and FAQ’s can be found on the Ask the Police website.

Parking

​Parking offences have been ‘decriminalised’ in many areas of Scotland. They are now dealt with by the local authority community traffic warden service.

You should contact your local authority to confirm if parking has been decriminalised in your area.

In areas where parking has been decriminalised, offences are subject to a civil penalty notice.

Police officers will no longer have powers to take enforcement action against vehicles parked in contravention of yellow lines (single or double), timed parking restrictions, loading bays, disabled parking bays or areas of ‘pay and display’ parking.

Police Officers can still issue endorsable and non-endorsable fixed penalty notices in a decriminalised area. This is for offences such as dangerous parking, obstruction and stopping within the controlled area of pedestrian crossings. This should be reported by calling 101.

You can get further information on the Ask the Police website.

Road traffic crash report

We handle requests from solicitors, insurance companies and individuals for road traffic crash reports.

Information on how to apply for this is available on our website. Provision of Reports - Police Scotland

Trading standards

If you think a business has broken the law or acted unfairly, you can report it to Trading Standards.

They will use the information you provide to investigate if the business sold you something:

• Unsafe or dangerous
• Counterfeit (fake)
• Not as described, eg the thing you paid for isn’t what you got
• You didn’t want to buy but felt pressurised by the business to do so.

Trading Standards will also investigate if the business:

• Scammed you, for example you bought something online that you didn’t receive and the seller can no longer be contacted
• Said you had no legal rights, for example they said you can’t return faulty goods
• Made you pay for add-ons that you hadn’t been told about when you bought the goods
• Is involved in illegal puppy trading.

If you require advice please contact Trading Standards Scotland  on 03454 050506 or Citizens Advice Scotland who also deal with Trading Standards.

Requesting information police hold about you

You can submit a subject access request to apply for data we hold about you under data protection legislation.

Information on how to make a subject access request is available on our website. 

Benefit fraud

The Benefits Agency prosecute their own cases, the police do not deal with benefit fraud.

If you suspect a person of benefit fraud, you should contact the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440. The opening hours are between 7am and 11pm, 7 days a week or on the Report benefit fraud page on the gov.uk website.

Lost benefits

If you need advice regarding receiving benefits or lost benefits you should contact the Benefits Agency Browse: Benefits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Home CCTV installation

Information and advice regarding installation of private CCTV can be found at the Information Commissioner’s office website. 

Obtain CCTV from a camera

Local authorities have responsibility for the operation and security of public space CCTV.  

You can contact the local authority for the area where the CCTV system is located to request a copy of footage from CCTV.

Criminal injuries claim

Full information and eligibility can be found on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority gov.uk. Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Drones

General advice and guidance can be found on the CAA Website and the Drone Safe website. If you see a drone flying in an area you don’t think it should be please contact us on 101.

Fly-tipping

If it is not happening now, and the rubbish is not believed to be hazardous, near a brook, stream or water channel you should report this to your local authority or the Scottish Flytipping Stop Line (dumb dumpers). 

If it is happening now call us on 101 with details.