

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland’s prosecution service. We receive reports about crimes from the police and other reporting agencies and then decide what action to take, including whether to prosecute someone. We also look into deaths that need further explanation and investigate allegations of criminal conduct against police officers.
COPFS plays a pivotal part in the justice system, working with others to make Scotland safe from crime, disorder and danger. The public interest is at the heart of all we do as independent prosecutors. We take into account the diverse needs of victims, witnesses, communities and the rights of those accused of crime. We support the Strategy for Justice in Scotland and, in particular, its priorities of:
Our values are:
Our aim is to meet the Law Officers’ strategic priority of achieving operational effectiveness in all cases.
The main roles and responsibilities of COPFS are to:
Our Key Objectives are:
to ensure that all deaths reported to the Procurator Fiscal are investigated appropriately and speedily.