‘Change not about cutting officers’

A Police Scotland plan to “transform” the force over the next three years is not about reducing officer numbers, it has been claimed.

Deputy Chief Officer David Page told the Scottish Police Authority there was a need for a “fundamental” change to the way the organisation is run.

But he said cutting officer numbers was not “part of the agenda”. Police Scotland has already confirmed it will reduce officer numbers by 400 over the next three years.

Mr Page said: “We fully recognise there’s an enormous amount of concern and demand to answer the question about how we will implement this very demanding programme and what that’s going to mean for police officer numbers… We’re not transforming Police Scotland to reduce police officer numbers.

“We want to reassure officers, staff and the public that’s not the agenda. Our agenda is about continuously improving operational policing.”

Mr Page said it would be a “huge financial challenge” to achieve the force’s projected deficit of £47 million this year.