Police Scotland may need to find ways to shave even more money off its budget this year.
Scotland’s eight police forces were merged into one national body on April 1 as part of a massive cost-saving drive. This is to deliver savings of £64 million this year, rising to a total of £71m in 2014/15 and £139.2m the following financial year.
However, a report to go before the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) board on Wednesday warns there are already real risks that savings targets for 2014/15 and 2015/16 will be missed.
A spokeswoman for the SPA said flagging up the potential need to make greater savings now gives the police time to find new ways to reduce their outlay.
She said: “The only thing is off the table is officer numbers, because they are ring-fenced.”
The board will also be told Police Scotland officers have carried out 372,323 stop and searches since April 1. More than one in five people (20.6%) were found to be carrying an illegal item such as drugs or a weapon.
Police Scotland analysis found around 40% of stop and searches take place on a Friday or Saturday night. The vast majority (83.3%) of those stopped are male.
The report states: “Blanket stop and search operations are not utilised in Police Scotland and the number of stop and searches carried is both proportionate and intelligence-led.”
The report states the five-year downward trend in crimes of violence is continuing, despite a slight increase in the number of murders committed this year compared to last.
There have been 31 murders in Scotland this year, compared to 29 in 2012. There have been 272 fewer victims of serious assault than there were at this point last year.