Police officers suffering burnout and working in ‘desperate’ conditions

Police officers in Scotland are suffering burnout, working in “desperate” conditions, and are frequently having their days off cancelled, according to a new report.

Officers in Greater Glasgow, Tayside, and Lothian and Borders also complained of low morale and dwindling resources in a survey carried out by the Scottish Police Federation (SPF).

The health and safety study of around 700 officers, published in 1919 Magazine on Tuesday, highlights several areas where Police Scotland could make improvements, including reviewing police buildings, improving access to Taser, and rolling out supervisor training in mental wellbeing and identifying suicide.

Meanwhile, the Scottish force recorded nearly 68,000 “rest days” that were cancelled in just six months – the equivalent of one every four minutes.

SPF chair David Threadgold said there is “unsustainable” pressure felt by officers to meet the demands placed on them.

But Police Scotland said its own workforce survey found “areas of real positivity”.

The force also acknowledged that too many officers are being cited for court and are not called to give evidence, and said it is working with partners to “change policy and practice” on this.

The Scottish Government said it is increasing investment by £70m to £1.62bn to “support policing capacity and capability”.

The SPF’s deep dive report states: “Lack of morale was mentioned in comments by numerous officers.

“Whether that’s getting days cancelled for events, holidays ignored by court citations, depressing buildings to work from, lack of support in dealing with traumatic situations to lack of acknowledgement for doing a bit of good work.

“These are all issues that could be addressed and used to provide a happier and more effective working life for officers.”

Operational base levels – the minimum levels of staffing – are routinely not being met, according to the survey, with 61 per cent saying they are rarely met, and 18 per cent saying never.

And only 5% of respondents said they always get uninterrupted rest days. 38% said they sometimes get them, while 21% said this happens rarely.

Separately, a report released by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) shows there were 67,794 cancelled rest days over a six-month period last year within Police Scotland – 32,260 in the third quarter of 2024/25 and 35,534 in the previous three months.

Threadgold said: “Every single rest day that is cancelled has to be reallocated. That simply pushes the problem down the road.

“Within policing there is an understanding that there will be an element of disruption, but the inefficiencies in the courts system and the impact of sickness absence is having a significant impact.

“If police aren’t getting the rest they need, can they carry out their duties at the highest level?

“We are in a situation now where Police Scotland can only deliver policing by cancelling rest days. We need to remember the impact this has on individuals. It disproportionately impacts those on the front line.”

Liam Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives’ spokesperson for justice, said officers are “beyond breaking point”.
“With numbers at their lowest since around 2008, the goodwill of police officers is increasingly being relied upon to ensure shifts are filled,” he said.

“We have reached this point due to the SNP’s shocking neglect of frontline policing over the last 18 years which has pushed officers beyond breaking point.

“Rather than continuing to ignore the needs of our police, SNP ministers should show some common sense and ensure resources are in place to urgently boost officer numbers.”

But a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our record police funding in 2024/25 has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in this financial year than at any time since 2013.

“Police Scotland announced in January that the latest intake had brought the total number of police officers to 16,614.

“In 2025/26, we are increasing investment in policing by £70m to £1.62bn to support policing capacity and capability.”