ONE IN 20 POLICE OFFICERS UNABLE TO BE DEPLOYED ACROSS SCOTLAND

 By Bill Heaney

Nearly one in 20 police officers across Scotland are unable to be deployed due to having their officer safety training expired, it has emerged. 

Figures released by Police Scotland show that as of August 21, 2025, there are 582 officers whose Officer Safety Training has expired. It represents 4.2% of officers in the force. 

On appointment, all police officers, including Special Constables, receive seven days of initial operational safety training. 

It includes inputs on conflict management, de-escalation, and tactical communications in addition to training in operational safety measures. 

According to official figures, there were 16,427 full-time equivalent police officers in Scotland as of June 30, 2025 – down from 16,553 in the previous period. 

It is a significant fall from the 17,431 FTE police officers recorded at the start of 2020, with Scottish Labour having warned that the SNP is hollowing out Police Scotland. 

Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill MSP, RIGHT, said: “The SNP have failed Scotland’s communities and police officers by allowing Police Scotland to shrink when the force is already at breaking point. 

“It beggars belief that at a time of dwindling police numbers, this could be allowed to happen. 

“These figures underline the extent of that failure, with poor workforce planning heaping further pressure on overstretched officers who are working hard to keep our communities safe. 

“The reality is that the SNP have hollowed out Police Scotland, with officers being forced to go above and beyond to paper over the cracks. 

“A Scottish Labour government under Anas Sarwar will restore community policing after 18 years of neglect from this tired SNP government.”