McArthur comments on police officer numbers

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today said that the SNP government must listen to the needs of police officers and staff as new figures revealed that officer numbers have dropped by over 1,000 since Police Scotland was formed.

As at the end of June this year, the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers fell to 16,207- the lowest number of officers in the 17 years for which we have data.

As at the end of September, officer numbers are now up slightly at 16,427. However, this is still a drop of almost 1,000 officers compared to the equivalent quarter in 2020 (17,249). It also represents a fall of more than 1,000 officers compared to the first quarter in 2013 when Police Scotland was formed (17,496).

Last year, the Scottish Police Federation stated that the service had been “asset stripped and basically used as a cash cow.”  

Mr McArthur said:

“Earlier this year, we saw police officer numbers plummet to their lowest ever level. While I am glad that there has been some marginal improvement, it’s hardly a cause for SNP celebration.

“The reality is that there has been an overall decline in officer numbers since Police Scotland was formed. That downward trend is putting communities at greater risk, while leaving the officers who remain feeling unsupported and stretched dangerously thin.

“It is no wonder that policing bodies are warning of a public safety crisis. The Scottish Government must heed these warnings and meet the needs of officers and staff through proper resourcing.”