Police warned about surge in violence... but STILL planned to axe officers

PLANS for a cull of police officer numbers were drawn up despite an official report warning of a rise in violent crime.

The Mail reported yesterday that 400 officers will be axed as part of a shake-up outlined in a newly published Policing 2026 strategy. But the proposals come only weeks after a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Page S1 Daily Mail, Tuesday, February 28, 2017 report predicted a surge in violent offending.

Police Scotland’s own statistics show an increase in murder, serious assaults, rape and robberies, with detection rates plummeting.

The disclosure raised concern last night over how the proposed manpower cuts could be justified.

Scottish Tory community safety spokesman Oliver Mundell said: ‘It is imperative, amid these changes by Police Scotland, that the front line is not hit.

‘Yet here we see the response to rising trends of violent crime is to reduce the number of officers to deal with it.

‘That will not fill the public with confidence.’

The Policing 2026 report, released on Monday, spells out plans for officer numbers to be slashed in favour of hiring more cyber-crime specialists.

The proposals leave in tatters the SNP’s flagship pledge to keep officer numbers at 1,000 more than the level it inherited in 2007.

The cuts came under fresh scrutiny after details of the SPA’s warning on violence emerged.

Its report in December said: ‘Crime forecasts indicate that violence will continue to increase, driven mainly by a forecast increase in serious assault and common assault.’

The 2026 review claims there is less need for uniformed officers and a more pressing requirement for civilian staff with IT skills.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said ‘it is important that the police are able to respond to the changing nature of our society and the changing nature of crime’.

Assistant Chief Constable Mal- colm Graham claimed the strategy would allow the force ‘to be tougher on crime’.

A Scottish Government spokesman said ‘recorded violent crime and the fear of crime have fallen significantly’ in recent years.

He added: ‘While we have been clear on the need to consider the right mix of officers and civilian police expertise to keep people safe, and not just overall numbers, ministers are also clear that the public will always be interested in the number of police officers on the beat.’

‘Will not fill public with confidence’