Police Scotland faced a significant blow as more than 1,200 officers and staff departed last year, citing reasons such as stress, ill health, and early retirement. This exodus has put immense pressure on the already dwindling workforce, with officer numbers reaching their lowest point since 2008. The cost of absence due to stress has skyrocketed to a staggering £74 million, further straining the force’s resources.
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay expressed grave concerns over the situation, attributing the exodus to SNP budget cuts, weakening of the justice system, and a lack of officer welfare support. He emphasized that the thin blue line is now at a breaking point, with recruitment challenges making it difficult to replace those who have left.
According to a workforce annual report by Katy Miller, Police Scotland’s director of people and development, 1,279 officers and staff voluntarily left in 2023, while only 949 new recruits were hired. The report highlighted a worrying increase in grievances and stress-related absences among the workforce, raising concerns about their well-being. Moreover, the number of officers retiring due to ill health has risen by over 15% in the past year.
The report also outlined a redundancy and early retirement program that identified a significant number of posts for release, resulting in cost savings for the force. However, the report indicated that working days lost to absence remain high, with psychological absences on the rise. Scottish Police Federation chairman David Threadgold lamented the state of the service, describing it as “broken” due to overwhelming demands and pressures.
In response to the crisis, Police Scotland has restarted officer recruitment and plans to increase officer numbers by over 1,300 during the 2024-25 period. The Scottish Government defended its record funding of £1.55 billion for policing in the upcoming year, stating that this increase in funding would allow Police Scotland to raise officer numbers to around 16,500 to 16,600.
Despite these efforts, the challenges facing Police Scotland remain significant, with concerns about officer well-being, recruitment, and resource constraints continuing to loom large. The report presented to the Scottish Police Authority highlights the urgent need for action to address the underlying issues contributing to the thinning of the blue line and ensure the safety and security of communities across Scotland.
