Police Scotland to 'do more with fewer people'

Police Scotland aims to "do more with fewer people" under strategic plans for the next decade.

The force said it must change to reflect new demands on policing such as cyber crime, an ageing population, extreme weather and the protection of vulnerable people.

However, with a funding gap, Police Scotland will slow recruitment between 2018 and 2020, and work to move more officers from back office and corporate roles to frontline services.

A draft strategy unveiled by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland, titled Policing 2026, set out the vision and will now go out to a public consultation.

Chief Constable Phil Gormley said it would make police time more productive and is "not about working harder but working smarter".

The force wants to make more use of technology, possibly equipping officers with body camera and smart phones which could be used to take statements and record crimes.

Roles for specialists in cyber crime and analytics will be created under the plans.

Mr Gormley said: "This will be driven through better use of technology, more effective deployment and releasing officers from back office and corporate roles.

"We will recruit more specialist staff, for example with analytical and cyber expertise, to further increase this operational effect.

"These roles will not necessarily require a warrant card but they will form a critical part of Police Scotland's operation mission.

"Clearly, we will continue to recruit police officers in sizeable numbers, there is a continuing requirement to ensure appropriate coverage over geographical areas as officers retire and to continue to drive to increase the diversity of the workforce.

"There will be no change to the number of police officers next year but as operational productivity increases, we will reduce and slow the levels of recruitment between 2018 and 2020.

"Our corporate services and business support services will be leaner and operate with fewer people as they are transformed."

SPA chairman Andrew Flanagan said the body is anticipating a "small reduction" in police officer numbers through to 2020.

He said: "I must stress we will not reduce police officer numbers until we see these productivity gains come through, actually we are anticipating the amount of operational policing will actually increase through to 2020.

"A police service than can do more and achieve more with fewer people, a police service whose workforce is no longer distinguished by those who hold a warrant card and those who do not - these are the ideas we want to discuss with the people of Scotland, not impose them."

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: "Alongside this government's commitment to protect the police resource budget for each year of this parliament, we have provided an enhanced £61 million reform budget for 2017-18 to support the transformational change outlined in this draft strategy.

"While our Programme for Government is clear about the need to consider the right mix of skills and not just overall numbers, the public will always be interested in the number of police officers on the beat.

"We will pay particular attention to these issues before approval of the final strategy."

Tory justice spokesman Douglas Ross said it was "absolutely imperative" the changes did not "deplete the frontline of policing in Scotland".

He said: "The Scottish Government has been in sole charge of justice for nearly a decade now and these bleak warnings are a result of its choices.

"We now need urgent assurances that any changes made to Police Scotland's approach will not put public safety at risk."

Labour's business manager James Kelly said: "In the last few years we have seen thousands of vital support staff cut as Police Scotland tries to meet the SNP's underfunded election promise of a thousand extra officers.

"We need to give hardworking and dedicated officers and staff the support and resources they need, rather than having a police force constantly trying to balance the books."

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur added: "This strategy represents an opportunity for the SNP government to admit where they went wrong with centralisation and, after years of mismanagement, help get the police service back on even footing.

"We need fundamental reform of how our police service operates."