Police force is short of 450 officers, warns chief
SCOTLAND’S police force is struggling to respond to the public after a sharp fall in the number of officers, the Chief Constable has warned.
Sir Iain Livingstone said the service was depending on high levels of overtime to operate after officer numbers fell to the lowest level since 2013 – 450 below the target pledged by the SNP.
He said this was having an ‘impact’, amid fears of a looming funding crisis.
The warning came as Scottish Police Authority (SPA) chairman Martyn Evans said the force’s budget is facing a £40million shortfall.
Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘At a time of record violent crime, the last thing people need is fewer police officers on our streets.
‘If the police are being forced to rely on overtime and goodwill, something we know can be easily withdrawn during industrial action, the reality is the public will suffer – this is a problem of the SNP’s own making.’
At an SPA board meeting in Glasgow, Sir Iain said: ‘We are seeing the impact in our service of having fewer officers across a range of operational areas, including responsiveness to calls from the public.
‘Our forecast for the year suggests that we will run at an average of over 450 officers below [the target of 17,234 officers].’
The 17,234 target dates from when the SNP first came to power in 2007, with the party then pledging to increase officer numbers by 1,000 to reach this level.
Sir Iain said: ‘The underspend on officer pay has in fact been offset by a significant increase in overtime and some inflationary pressures.
‘We are, of course, keeping a close review of the sustainability of high levels of overtime – not only to ensure we maintain a balanced budget, but vitally to ensure we safeguard the wellbeing of our officers and staff and their families.’
It emerged this month the number of police officers in Scotland is at its lowest level for 14 years – with nearly 700 having quit the force in the past year. Opposition leaders said the figures proved the SNP does not consider policing a priority.
The financial performance review, presented by James Gray, the SPA’s chief financial officer, said reduced officer numbers were saving more than £21million, but overtime is costing £11.9million.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We will do all that we can within the resources available to us to continue supporting the vital work of Police Scotland.’
‘A time of record violent crime’