Lib Dems raise concerns about fall in numbers

Fears that Scotland could lose hundreds of police have been raised after official statistics showed a drop in officer numbers over the last 12 months.

Official statistics revealed that on June 30 this year the country had the full-time equivalent of 17,172 officers. That is up by two from the previous quarter but 77 lower than the total recorded in June 2017.

Police officer numbers had increased after the SNP came into power in 2007, with the party committed to putting 1,000 extra police on the streets.

The commitment was first met in March to June 2009 and was maintained for several years before the total dropped to the equivalent of 17,170 fulltime officers at the end of March 2018.

The latest figures mean in June there were the equivalent of 938 more full-time officers than in March 2007.

The Lib Dems raised fears the fall in police numbers over the last 12 months could lead to more cuts in the future.

Justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “Officers are stretched to the extent that they are warning beat policing has ‘effectively died off entirely’ in some areas.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Police officer numbers have remained stable over the last quarter and remain significantly above the numbers inherited by this government in 2007.

“This contrasts starkly with a 13.8% reduction in officer numbers in England and Wales over the same period.”