Public safety at risk unless Scottish Government increases force’s budget, police body warns

Public safety will be put at risk unless the Scottish Government pours more cash into policing, the body representing rank-and-file officers has warned.

The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said the current settlement was “unsustainable”.

David Kennedy, SPF general secretary, said next year’s budget must mark a “turning point” for Police Scotland.

In his evidence to Holyrood’s justice committee, published in 1919 Magazine, he warned that “goodwill cannot sustain a national service.”

The news comes after the force’s chief constable last month appealed for “urgent support” from ministers to “strengthen frontline services”.

Chief Constable Jo Farrell said the force will seek nearly £140m more for day-to-day spending next year.

The force warned “policing performance is straining”, and there are now “clear indications the rapidly intensifying operational environment is placing our reduced workforce under pressure”.

The SPF said the cash boost would fund 850 officers and 348 staff.

Finance secretary Shona Robison is due to unveil her draft budget in January, which is later than normal because it must come after the UK budget is announced in late November.

Mr Kennedy said: “Policing is unique among public services. Officers cannot strike or withdraw their labour.

“This places a moral obligation on government to ensure that they are fairly paid, properly equipped, and sufficiently staffed to keep the public safe.

“While the justice system is interconnected, in our view it is policing that is under the most acute pressure, and without investment in the police service, the wider justice system cannot function.”

The SPF general secretary said policing in Scotland was “now at a crossroads” as he urged ministers to make the next budget a “turning point” for the national force.

He said: “The combination of falling officer numbers, real terms pay cuts, rising demand, and underinvestment in capital budgets has created an unsustainable situation.

“The 2026-27 budget must mark a turning point. It must stabilise the workforce, deliver pay fairness, invest in estates, IT, fleet and equipment, support officer wellbeing, and recognise that the police cannot continue to carry the burden of failures elsewhere.

“Officers remain committed to serving their communities. But goodwill cannot sustain a national service.

“Without meaningful investment, the risk to public safety is real and growing.”

Scottish Labour’s justice spokesperson, Pauline McNeill, told 1919 Magazine: “This is a truly stark warning from police chiefs in Scotland who have, for years, sounded the alarm about falling officer numbers and the condition of the Police Scotland estate.

“The reality is that the SNP has hollowed out Police Scotland over recent years, forcing officers and staff to go above and beyond to paper over the cracks.

“Meanwhile, police stations are being shut across the country in a desperate bid to make savings, leaving communities without a visible police presence on their streets which helps make people feel safe.

“The SNP cannot keep playing fast and loose with the safety of our communities.”

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.