From the Daily Record yesterday:

The number of bobbies on the beat in Scotland has plunged to its lowest level since 2008. Liam McArthur, justice spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems, said: “On Nicola Sturgeon’s watch violent crime is on the rise yet the SNP are presiding over a decline in officer numbers. “There are now fewer than at any time since 2008.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/police-numbers-scotland-drop-lowest-26859100.amp

There are fewer ‘bobbies’ today but there can reasonably be fewer because there is far less crime:

So, in 2008 crime was at the level of 725 per head of population and in 2021 was only 451, much, much lower, yet there were still as many bobbies?