Retirement rates for this year are already 70 per cent higher than normal, according to the Scottish Police Federation, while litigation in England over pensions could prompt a surge in early retirements.

The news comes as figures revealed that the number of officers has fallen below 17,000 for the first time since 2008.

The latest quarterly strength statistics show that there were 16,805 full-time equivalent officers in Scotland on March 31, 2022 – a decline of 312 since December 31, 2021.

The force attributed the fall in numbers in part to Covid and because of COP26 delaying recruitment.

David Hamilton, chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said that it was “an entirely foreseeable situation”.

He told 1919 Magazine, which is funded entirely by the SPF, that it was “frustrating to now see Police Scotland scrabbling around trying to keep the wheels on the bus”.

He added: “For years we have warned that officers would be looking to leave the service as soon as they could and now that they have the vehicle to do so, they are.

“With our data showing retirals 70% higher than normal, a lot of chickens are coming home to roost.

“Overworked, underpaid, under pressure and under-appreciated – the warning flags have been there but inexplicably the service chose to ignore them. We are now watching centuries of experience leave the organisation both to the detriment of colleagues left in the service and to the public at large.”

A 2018 case at the English Court of Appeal challenged public sector pension rules introduced by the UK government in 2015.

The McCloud remedy allows an officer over 50 to retire after 25 years’ service, without incurring a financial penalty, on half-salary and with a tax-free sum of up to £300,000.

Figures published last month showed that there were 9,842 recorded cases of violent crime in 2021-22, the highest level in more than a decade.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “On Nicola Sturgeon’s watch violent crime is on the rise yet the SNP are presiding over a decline in officer numbers. There are now fewer than at any time since 2008.

“Police officers and staff work tirelessly in a stressful job to keep our communities safe.

“They are being hampered by a lack of resources, the loss of valuable civilian expertise, a lack of mental health support and outdated IT systems.

“The justice secretary needs to set out a new plan of action for reducing violent crime and making sure that Police Scotland has the staff and equipment it needs to make that happen.”