New geospatial technology is being adopted by Police Scotland to improve missing persons searches and strengthen security operations at major events.
The technology, which was developed by GIS software company Esri UK, includes mobile mapping apps for officers and interactive map dashboards for search advisors.
By replacing a largely paper-based system, Police Scotland expects the tools to enhance communication between teams, and consequently improve efficiency and decision-making.
Almost 300 staff members recently underwent specialist training for the software, which was deployed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2026.
Inspector John Mackay, a search coordinator for Police Scotland, said that the tools show that the organisation has made “significant progress” in modernising search operations.
He said: “Search plays a critical role in keeping people safe from harm.
“By replacing complex paper-based processes with faster, streamlined digital workflows, we are helping officers make better decisions, deploy resources more effectively and deliver better outcomes for our communities.”
Through the Missing Persons Module, senior officers are able to assign areas to specialist teams including dog teams, horses, drones, diving and marine units, fingertip search and mountain rescue personnel, with officers on the ground then receiving assignments on their phones.
The system also permits command staff to support those in the field remotely, and for team members to share updates relevant to investigations, such as pictures of recovered clothing.
This comes as over 170,000 people go missing in the UK each year.
One of the technology’s other major applications involves supporting security operations prior to major events and at high profile locations.
Officers conducting “search and seal” operations are able to log their progress in securing potential hiding places for weapons or explosives by uploading relevant photographs onto a shared digital platform, allowing the pictures to be checked at speed and for supervisors to retain oversight.
The software also enables teams to create custom digital maps from drone imagery and CAD drawings, with these being used during high-profile visits by heads of state.
Furthermore, Police Scotland has developed digital models of frequently searched locations such as Edinburgh's Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace, allowing teams to recognise pre-existing assets, divide buildings into search sectors, allocate responsibilities, and monitor progress in the case of the identification of suspicious items.
The modernisation of Police Scotland’s search operations were originally prompted by the the security requirements of the COP26 conference, which was hosted in Glasgow in 2021 and attended by 38,000 delegates.
Going forward, Police Scotland intends to increase the use of drones and further develop 3D capabilities.
Police Scotland has 23,000 officers and staff members, and operates across an area of 28,000 square miles.
Images courtesy of Police Scotland