£74m Police Budget Cut Will Make Communities Less Safe
2nd July 2023
UNISON, the union for police staff, says Scotland's police budget cut will see even more crime going unreported and crimes not being fully investigated.
The union says around 230 police staff could be cut, including fingerprint examiners, forensic examiners, 999 call handlers, custody staff, high-speed driving instructors, cybercrime experts, payroll, HR and IT staff.
UNISON say 999 call response times will take longer, forensic teams will be unavailable to attend crime scenes and officers will be unable to respond to emergencies because they've not been able to take specialist training.
UNISON Scotland Police Staff deputy branch secretary David Malcolm said: "We cannot accept wholesale cuts to our members’ jobs. We’ve been here before and it has not worked.
"The demand for staff is already beyond what one person can achieve in a 35-hour working week and fewer staff means a greater risk to the public, our communities and the detection and solving of crime. To keep people safe we need to pay people properly and we need the right number of people working to provide these vital services."
UNISON Scotland regional organiser Deborah Clarke said: “These unsustainable government cuts will set back policing years. Scotland’s First Minister must sit down with the police authority and unions and put together a plan for policing, so we can provide the modern police services our communities deserve."
UNISON is the public services union representing 150,000 members in local government, health, education, police staff, social care, energy, and water. UNISON members work in public, voluntary and private sectors.
The cuts were approved at the Police Authority Police annual budget meeting earlier this year. The papers state that Scotland will see cuts to police officers and police staff will see a “reduction in posts proportionate to the reduction in police officer posts.”You can read the SPA budget report here: https://www.spa.police.uk/spa-media/hwmmihe3/item-7-spa-budget.pdf
Related Businesses
Related Articles
A report by the police to the Caithness area committee on 11 November will allow councillors to discuss a range of issues. Chief Inspector Calum Smith - Area Commander (North Highland Area Command) sets out the crime related figures up to June 2024.
A reduction in police activity targeting the most common causes of fatal crashes has been identified as a key factor affecting Police Scotland's ability to keep people safe on the nation's roads. A new report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland notes that since 2020 the total number of people killed or injured on Scotland’s roads has increased each year.
Police Scotland's North Safety Camera Unit are now operating average speed cameras on the A836 between Reay and Thurso with offences being progressed from Monday 2nd September. In partnership with the Scottish Safety Camera Programme and the Highland Council, the location was identified as having speed concerns and increased traffic volumes, both of which are potential ongoing road safety challenges.
Consider carefully what you are putting on social media, especially if you are staying away to visit friends and relatives this Christmas. Be wary of posting photographs of Christmas parties that contain images of high value jewellery.
Would you like to join the Police? Would you like to live and work in the Caithness area? Police Scotland is actively recruiting good quality and eligible candidates specifically for the Caithness area. We are taking applications now for Police Constable / Special Constable Entry for future intakes during 2023/2024.
The new Highland and Islands divisional commander will take up post having been sworn in as a Police Scotland officer. Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone welcomed and thanked Chief Superintendent Rob Shepherd during a ceremony at Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan, on Monday, 16 January 2023, overseen by Justice of the Peace Gillian Thomson.
Gross misconduct proceedings against police officers should be allowed to continue after they resign from the force to promote transparency and maintain public confidence, according to a public consultation. The move, which would see proceedings continue even if an officer leaves during the course of an investigation into their conduct, was among the recommendations of Dame Elish Angiolini's independent review into how police complaints and allegations of misconduct should be handled.
The total number of people proceeded against in Scottish courts fell by 46% to 46,497 in the year to 2020-21, according to National Statistics published by Scotland's Chief Statistician today. The number of people convicted fell at a similar rate, down 44% to 42,532.
Cllr Matthew Reiss, Highland Council's Strategic Lead for Police and Fire has welcomed Police Scotland's announcement that it has created fifteen new posts to further enhance the development of call handling services, based in Inverness. He said: "We were delighted in October last year to welcome 25 new jobs in Inverness with the creation of a specialist call handling service team and these fifteen additional new posts based in the Highlands are great news.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has responded to the Lord President's decision to reduce the number of criminal trials as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). The Justice Secretary said:"I welcome the Lord President's decisive action, which balances the interests of justice with the very serious public health challenges presented by the new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
