Police chief warns beat officers policy has become unaffordable

A senior police officer has called for an end to the SNP’s flagship policy of 1,000 extra police officers after warning it’s no longer affordable.

Chief Superintendent Niven Rennie, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, has given a stark assessment of the force’s finances, warning the 2007 pledge to maintain 1,000 extra beat officers and a no compulsory redundancy policy has forced Police Scotland to slash costs in other areas.

Chief Sup Rennie said the commitments are “becoming a millstone because there isn’t the money to pay for it”.

He said: “The fat has already been stripped and yet they are still looking for more. If the budget is not to increase, if it is to remain the same, then we must be realistic and say we can’t maintain the same level of service.

“The 1,000 extra officers commitment is now becoming a millstone because there isn’t the money to pay for it.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We are fully committed along with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to maintaining the target of 1,000 additional officers and to our policy of no compulsory redundancies.”