Conservative MSP condemns the SNP’s broken pledge to maintain 1,000 extra bobbies on the beat.
The number of divisional officers within Police Scotland has dropped over the past year. There are now 144 fewer divisional officers across Scotland compared with the previous year. The number of divisional police officers has fallen by 2 per cent in Lanarkshire.
Graham Simpson MSP said “It is extremely worrying to see the number of divisional officers fall over the past year across Scotland and Lanarkshire. It will be very concerning to communities across Lanarkshire that the number of police officers is down from last year by 2 per cent - with 23 fewer officers.
“Visibility is a key element of tackling crime and provides welcome reassurance to the public. Local police presence is essential to prevent and detect criminal behaviour. It is difficult to maintain confidence that people will be kept safe when numbers are dwindling like this.
“Having fewer bobbies on the street makes it harder for police to maintain that vital local presence and to protect the public.
“Under the SNP, we are seeing an increasingly soft approach to justice. The SNP must give Police Scotland the resources it needs to keep us safe.