A Lanarkshire MSP has slammed the SNP Government for overseeing cuts in the number of frontline police officers in Lanarkshire.
Central Scotland Tory MSP Graham Simpson's call comes after new statistics showed that over 900 local officers have been lost across Scotland since the SNP merged the force into Police Scotland in 2013 - with overall officer numbers at their lowest level since 2008.
Local officer numbers are down by more than 100 compared to this time last year, and down 35 on the first quarter of this year.
In Lanarkshire, there are now 132 fewer officers than nine years ago when SNP ministers created Police Scotland, while over the last year officer numbers have fallen by 41.
Mr Simpson says it is little surprise to see such a fall in Lanarkshire as the SNP Government have treated police officers “with contempt” and failed to honour spending commitments promised for the policing budget.
The Conservative and Unionist MSP has accused the SNP of consistently letting down officers in Lanarkshire and backed his party’s plans for a Local Policing Act to ensure there are more bobbies are on the beat in and that communities have more of a say in local policing divisions.
Conservative MSP Graham Simpson told Lanarkshire Live : “It is local policing divisions such as Lanarkshire that are shamefully but predictably bearing the brunt of the SNP’s brutal underfunding of our police force.
“It is shocking to see such a reduction in local officers from this region since SNP Ministers merged forces into Police Scotland in 2013. Sadly, that trend is continuing with each passing quarter.
“It is hardly surprising, though, when the SNP Government have treated our hardworking officers with such contempt. Officers across Scotland have removed their goodwill after the derisory pay offer that has been put forward."
Since 2013, the number of police officers belonging to local police divisions has been cut from 13,008 to 12,071 – a cut of 937 officers.
Lanarkshire is down to 1333 compared to 1465 in 2013.
Mr Simpson added: “SNP Ministers should never have let it get to that stage and for officer numbers to fall so far. That only increases the risk of crime in communities across Lanarkshire. People here want to be reassured that there’s a strong police presence in their local area."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable, but national police numbers over the past 15 years have been at historically high levels.
"Our officer numbers are also favourable relative to elsewhere in the UK – with around 31 officers per 10,000 population in Scotland compared to around 24 in England and Wales as at March 2022.
"We will continue to support the force to deliver sustainable excellence by investing over £1.3bn in policing in each of the next four years."
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