Number of police officers falls to lowest level in two years

The number of police officers in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in two years, figures have shown.

There were 16,402 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers at the end of June, statistics from the Scottish Government showed.

It is the lowest quarterly total since June 2024, when there were 16,207 FTE officers.

Officer numbers fell by the equivalent of 29 full-time posts during the three months to the end of June.

Scotland has lost more than 800 officers in the last decade. There were 17,242 full-time equivalent roles recorded in 2016.

However, current numbers remain above the 16,234 recorded in 2007.

The Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP of presiding over an “utter failure” on justice, and the party claimed cuts to officer numbers were a “gift” to criminals.

Stephen Kerr, Tory justice spokesman at Holyrood, said: “After nearly 20 years in government, crime is soaring, while the number of police officers continue to be slashed.

“Fewer officers on the streets puts public safety at risk and every officer cut is a gift to criminals who know Scotland’s overstretched police force can no longer investigate every crime.

“The SNP’s savage cuts to police budgets have weakened frontline policing, yet they still expect them to do their jobs with one hand tied behind their backs.

“The results of their cuts are plain to see and communities are living in fear of violent offenders.

“John Swinney cannot keep pretending everything is under control when the evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.

“The SNP have failed to give Scotland the police officers it requires and that situation is completely unsustainable.”

Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill added: “Crime is on the rise and Police Scotland is already stretched to breaking point – but the SNP has let police officer numbers fall yet again.

“The SNP’s reckless approach to crime is putting communities at risk.

“On the SNP’s watch there are fewer police on the streets and more criminals being let out of prison early.

“The SNP must stand up for our communities and make sure Police Scotland has the staff and resources it needs to do its job.”

Scottish Lib Dem justice spokeswoman Yi-pei Chou Turvey added: “For the public, the obvious concern will be that fewer officers will mean longer response times and less visible policing.

“But it is not simply the decline in headline officer numbers which raises big questions for the SNP. Cuts to support staff have left officers spending more time on paperwork and less time on the beat.

“These changes come at a time when officers are already spending more time tackling time-consuming cases such as online fraud and complex mental health cases.

“The service must ensure that it has the right mix of staff to address these challenges.

“The new Justice Secretary needs to come forward with a realistic plan to ensure the needs of the service are met.”

Justice Secretary Neil Gray said: “I thank police officers and staff for all that they do to keep Scotland safe.

“Since these figures were recorded on 30 June 2026, Police Scotland has welcomed a new intake of officers, with further recruitment planned throughout the year.

“We have invested more than £1.7 billion in policing this year, and Scotland continues to be a safe place to live, with more police officers per 10,000 people than England and Wales, while recorded crime has fallen by almost half since 1991.”

David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said the latest figures “should concern everyone, regardless of politics”.

“While the quarterly reduction may appear relatively small, it continues a longer-term trend that has seen more than 800 police officers lost over the past decade,” Mr Kennedy said.

“At the same time, the demands placed on policing have become significantly more complex. Officers are dealing with increasing levels of violence, vulnerability, mental health incidents, cybercrime and organised crime, while also carrying out countless duties that previously sat with other public services.”

Mr Kennedy said SPF continue to do an “outstanding” job, but he added that there is a limit to what can be achieved with fewer officers and finite resources.

“You cannot continue to ask police officers to do more with less without it eventually having an impact on service delivery, officer wellbeing and public confidence,” he added.

“The Scottish Police Federation has consistently warned that maintaining officer numbers alone is not enough. Scotland needs a properly funded police service with sufficient officers, staff, equipment and infrastructure to meet today’s policing challenges.

“This should not become a political football. The focus now must be on ensuring Police Scotland has the resources it needs to protect communities, investigate crime effectively and keep both the public and officers safe.”