The party submitted a freedom of information request seeking breakdowns of Police Scotland officer and staff departures by ethnicity and compared to retention rates as a whole.

The response showed that:

• 13 per cent of police officers recruited between 01/04/2013 and 31/03/2022 left during the same timeframe.
• 18 per cent of officers who identified as BME left in this timeframe, compared to 10 per cent who identified as White Scottish.
• 32 per cent of police staff recruited between 01/04/2013 and 31/03/2022 left during the same timeframe.
• Of these, 42 per cent of staff who identified as BME departed versus 31 per cent of staff who identified as White Scottish.

Justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “These figures show officers from BME backgrounds quitting the service at almost twice the rate of white Scots. Not only are these numbers a huge problem for fairness and representation, they also prevent us from tearing down barriers between the police and the communities they work in.

“In recent years, the Black Lives Matter movement has forced us all to face uncomfortable truths about society and its attitudes. Every institution has a responsibility to forge a better way forward.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling on ministers and Police Scotland to do more to increase diversity in policing and improve retention of BME recruits.

“Staff surveys need to be a regular feature of the service, so that issues are identified quickly. We also need to see concerted action to root out prejudicial and discriminatory behaviour and practices.

“That so many staff and officers from BME backgrounds are choosing to leave in droves should have alarm bells ringing in Police Scotland. It is long past time for this to be addressed.”