Stevenson Hails Record High In Police Numbers

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the announcement that police numbers across Scotland has hit a record high for the fourth consecutive quarter. There are now over 17,000 police officers patrolling Scotland’s streets and making communities safer for people in Scotland. Grampian Police force has seen an increase of 30 police officers in the first quarter of 2009, taking the total force to 1,513 full-time equivalent officers.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“The SNP Government promised to deliver 1,000 extra police officers to make our communities safer and we are continuing to do just that. This is the first time that the total number of police officers in Scotland has risen above 17,000 and is another record high.

“Since the SNP came to power in 2007, the number of police officers in Grampian has increased by 139 as we continue our efforts to deliver on our promises.

“People in Banff & Buchan and across Scotland are seeing a real difference in their communities as more police officers are trained and deployed. Police numbers are not the only factor when it comes to successfully combating crime, but there really is no substitute for increasing the number of bobbies on the beat. Where previous administrations let Scotland down, the SNP Government is delivering for people in Banff & Buchan.”