New training facility for prosecutors
Scotlands first college to train prosecutors has opened its doors in Glasgow.
Scotlands first college to train prosecutors has opened its doors in Glasgow.
The college will train up to 70 staff from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
It includes a number of specifically designed features, such as a mock court room with audio visual links to separate interview rooms to enable legal staff to be trained in advocacy skills and the presentation of evidence via CCTV link.
The college also has its own video conferencing facilities and a learning resource centre that incorporates library facilities and Internet access.
Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini QC said: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has always maintained a strong commitment to providing training of the highest quality to our staff, designed to equip them to deliver the best possible service to the people we serve.
“This college should assist us to develop specialisms and ensure we have professionally equipped prosecutors able to deal with increasingly complex, serious and organised crime.”
Nicky Patrick, head of training and development for the college said the college is already having a significant impact on the capacity of the prosecution service to deliver major training programmes.
She said in the course of this financial year the college will play a major role in the delivery of training for Summary Justice Reform and the Review of Sexual Offences, both of which will be delivered by a combination of e-learning and classroom based learning.
We are confident that our new facility will further enhance opportunities for joint training with our partnership agencies. For example, we have already delivered advocacy training to prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, and colleagues from the Scottish Court Service and Scottish Prison Service have participated in the COPFS Leadership Development Programme.
The training and organisational development division relocated to their new base at the Scottish Prosecution College from Argyle House in Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh on September 3.
Nine members of COPFS staff are based at the College permanently the Head of Training, who is a legal member of staff, one training manager, four trainers, one administrative manager, and two members of admin staff. There are currently a further four members of legal staff on secondment to the College to design and support the major programme of training planned for Summary Justice Reform.
The college represents an investment of £720,000.