Lots of cops, lots of perks as MacAskill says Police numbers at all-time high. The number of police officers in Scotland is at an all-time high, figures have revealed today.
The latest quarterly strength statistics show that there were 17,496 police officers on March 31, 2013, an increase of 7.8 per cent or 1,262 officers since March 31, 2007.
Commenting on the figures, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:“This Government is continuing to deliver on our commitment to put 1,000 additional police officers in communities and police numbers in Scotland are now at a record high.
“This visible police presence has contributed to reducing the recorded crime rate to its lowest level for 37 years.
“We have pledged to protect police posts and frontline police services, and although the numbers above the target will fluctuate over time, we will keep our 1,000 extra police officer promise.
“This is in direct contrast to the picture in England and Wales where police numbers have fallen to their lowest level since 2002 and are expected to drop by 16,000 in total.
“A new era of policing came into being on April 1 and the first officers employed by Police Scotland have been counted in the bulletin. I know Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority will continue to deliver excellent policing and build on the high public confidence communities have in our police service in Scotland."
Police officer quarterly strength statistics :
Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by the eight Scottish police forces, Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Scottish Police Services Authority.
The key findings of the statistics are:
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There were 17,496 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 31 March 2013.
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This is an increase of 1,262 FTE police officers (+7.8%) from the 16,234 police officers recorded at 31 March 2007.
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Police officer numbers have increase by 60 FTE officers in the last quarter from 31 December 2013 (+0.3%), and have increased by 60 FTE officers in the last year from 31 March 2012 (+0.3%).
These will be the last statistics reflecting the previous policing structures. The Police Service of Scotland and Scottish Police Authority went live on April 1 2013, replacing the previous 10 policing organisations in Scotland.
Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff.
1. The full statistical publication can be accessed here.
2. The first publication of police quarterly strength statistics as Official Statistics was on 2 December 2008. Prior to this publication, figures were collated by the Scottish Government and released through responses to Parliamentary Questions and by depositing the figures in the Scottish Parliamentary Library.
3. Further information on Crime and Justice statistics within Scotland can be accessed here.
4. Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed here.
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