More than 500 police officers cannot be deployed due to expired training

Nearly one in 20 police officers across Scotland are unable to be deployed due to their safety training having expired, according to new data.

Figures released by Police Scotland show that as of August 2025, there are 582 officers whose officer safety training has expired.

When hired, all police officers receive seven days of initial operational safety training.

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

The new figures show 4.2% of officers in the force have expired safety training.

Scottish Labour expressed concern over the new figures and said Police Scotland has been “hollowed out”.

Labour MSP and justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill 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.”

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

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “The current rate of recertification stands at 95.8%, with a temporary reduction from previous compliance rates as a result of deployments to Operation Roll 2 (policing operation for the visit of the President of the United States).

“The safety of our officers and staff remains our top priority, and we are committed to ensuring that all eligible officers complete the required training within the timeframe.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are investing a record £1.64 billion in policing this year and our funding has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024-25 than at any time since 2013, with more intakes this year. Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.

“The training of police officers is an operational matter for the Chief Constable but we understand the recertification rate is over 95%.”