Police numbers target will be met – Priority is to maintain them for next four years

The latest police projection figures show that numbers have dropped slightly, although the target of 1,000 additional police officers will be met by the end of this parliament. Official figures also show that numbers will continue to grow beyond the 17,234 target.

The target of 1,000 additional police officers was a concession to the Scottish Conservatives in the four budgets since 2007.

John Lamont MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice, said:

"Although the slight drop in numbers is disappointing, we are naturally very pleased that they will rise in the next two quarters, comfortably exceeding the 1,000 target we set the Scottish Government when the concession was agreed in 2008. Had it been down to the SNP we would have only had 500, and had it been down to Labour we would have had none at all.

"Maintaining these extra thousand officers is a political priority for the Scottish Conservatives – not just this year but for the next four years.

"When it comes to keeping Scotland safe and protecting our public, Labour is silent, the SNP is soft and the only party people can trust are the Scottish Conservatives."

The official projection shows police officer numbers will reach the following levels:

31 March 2011: 17,270 - 1,036 above the March 31st 2007 baseline

30 June 2011: 17,292 - 1,058 above the March 31st 2007 baseline

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