High police numbers maintained amid criticism

There were 17,242 full time equivalent (FTE) police officers in the first quarter of 2016/17 according to figures released today.

Community safety minister Annabelle Ewing said she is “very pleased” to note that the SNP has maintained its commitment to deliver 1,000 more officers compared to the figure in 2007.

She added: “Scotland’s police officers and staff work incredibly hard to serve our communities, tackling violence and crime. We will continue to work with Police Scotland to support them by considering the implications of changing demands on Scottish policing and ensuring the right mix of officers and specialist staff to provide protection for Scotland’s communities.

“The Scottish government is also committed to protecting the police revenue budget in real terms for the entirety of this Parliament, delivering an additional £100 million of investment over the next five years, in addition to £55 million of reform funding in 2016-17.”

The news comes as the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation said recently that the single force is in “dire financial straits”.