Public 'at risk' from police cuts with threat 'real and growing'

£138.6million in 2026/27 to strengthen the front line, providing funding for 850 officers and 348 staff.

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SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance

For the current financial year, the Scottish Government provided an increase of £90m.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison is due to unveil her draft budget in January, which is later than normal because it must come after the UK Budget is announced in late November.

SPF general secretary David Kennedy said: "Policing is unique among public services. Officers cannot strike or withdraw their labour.

"This places a moral obligation on government to ensure that they are fairly paid, properly equipped, and sufficiently staffed to keep the public safe.

"While the justice system is interconnected, in our view it is policing that is under the most acute pressure, and without investment in the police service, the wider justice system cannot function."

He added: "Policing in Scotland is at a crossroads. The combination of falling officer numbers, real terms pay cuts, rising demand, and underinvestment in capital budgets has created an unsustainable situation.

"The 2026/27 budget must mark a turning point. It must stabilise the workforce, deliver pay fairness, invest in estates, IT, fleet and equipment, support officer wellbeing, and recognise that the police cannot continue to carry the burden of failures elsewhere.