Current status: Answered by Angela Constance on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how many full-time equivalent police officers there will be in 2025-26.
The recruitment of officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable, The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.
The Chief Constable confirmed that our investment will enable Police Scotland to recruit enough officers to increase numbers back to the region of 16,500 to 16,600 officers in 2024-25. Throughout this financial year the Scottish Government budget has allowed for planned intakes of around 1300 recruits, which is more than at any time since 2013.
Police Scotland has commenced transformative work to develop a new operating model and three-year business plan. It is important the Chief Constable has the flexibility to develop her workforce in a way that responds to the challenges she faces and ensures Police Scotland can continue to tackle high threat, harm, and risk in all of Scotland’s communities.