___________________________________________________________

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going.

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to:

JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON

Sort Code – 08-91-04

Account – 12266421

____________________________________________________

The above from the Express is easily rebutted:

From Statistics on policing published in May 2026:

There were 16,430 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 31 March 2026. This was 196 (+1.2%) more officers compared to the position on 31 March 2007.

As staffing levels have been maintained how has the level of crime faced by these officers changed?

• Total recorded crime in Scotland was about 419,257 in 2006/07. By the year ending December 2025 it was 308,532, down 26% https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2011-12/pages/7/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
• Violent crime peaked around the mid-2000s. Official Scottish Government analysis says violent crime in 2024/25 remained 23% below the 2006/07 peak. https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2011-12/pages/7/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Homicides have dropped dramatically. Scotland had 159 homicides in 2006/07 versus around 45–47 recently — among the lowest levels recorded in decades. https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2011-12/pages/7/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Compared with England?

Scotland has the highest ratio of police officers per 100 000 population – 295.

England and Wales forces have a lower combined ratio 235–241.

This means Scotland has roughly 25–27% more officers per capita than the England/Wales average.

Sources:

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2025/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2025
2. https://policepromotion.blog/2024/07/30/police-workforce-2024-part-1-officer-numbers-across-uk-and-ireland

___________________________________________________________

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going.

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to:

JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON

Sort Code – 08-91-04

Account – 12266421

____________________________________________________