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Calls to clarify police targets | Calls to clarify police targets |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Scottish ministers have come under renewed opposition pressure to clarify their pledge on police recruitment, in the wake of the latest figures. | Scottish ministers have come under renewed opposition pressure to clarify their pledge on police recruitment, in the wake of the latest figures. |
Police numbers have risen by 441 since March 2007. | Police numbers have risen by 441 since March 2007. |
But rival parties said ministers may still fail to meet their promise of 1,000 extra officers by the next Holyrood elections, in 2011. | But rival parties said ministers may still fail to meet their promise of 1,000 extra officers by the next Holyrood elections, in 2011. |
The Scottish Government said their pledge always meant it would provide an extra 1,000 officers in communities. | The Scottish Government said their pledge always meant it would provide an extra 1,000 officers in communities. |
But Labour and the Tories said that should mean the overall force strength increasing by 1,000 - regardless of retirement. | But Labour and the Tories said that should mean the overall force strength increasing by 1,000 - regardless of retirement. |
In March 2009 - not even two years through our term - we've contributed the highest ever number of police officers Scotland ever had Kenny MacAskillScottish justice secretary | |
New official statistics have shown the number of police officers in Scotland reached a record high of 16,675 at the end of 2008. | New official statistics have shown the number of police officers in Scotland reached a record high of 16,675 at the end of 2008. |
The Scottish Government said keeping people safe was what mattered. | The Scottish Government said keeping people safe was what mattered. |
Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken - whose party won a key concession from the Scottish Government on boosting police recruitment - has now written to ministers to say there were gaining an "unenviable reputation" for breaking promises. | |
Mr Aitken said: "The SNP must not fail on the long term delivery, because elsewhere they have created a soft-touch Scotland. Law-abiding Scots have suffered enough." | |
Labour justice spokesman Richard Baker demanded the justice secretary make a statement to parliament on the issue, adding: "Kenny MacAskill can bluster all he likes but the fact is, unless drastic action is taken then, the SNP are set to break another pledge. | |
"Until there are 17,236 officers in Scotland, the SNP manifesto promise remains unmet." | |
'Recruit and retain' | |
Mr MacAskill told BBC Scotland: "In March 2009 - not even two years through our term - we've contributed the highest ever number of police officers Scotland ever had in its history. | |
"That's something that we're celebrating, that's something that we're delivering on and it's work in progress." | |
He went on: "We committed to 1,000 additional officers and, in addition, we said we would recruit and retain as well as redeploy." | |
The figures showed numbers increased for the fourth quarter in a row, although the number of officers in three of Scotland's eight forces - Central Scotland, Tayside and and Dumfries and Galloway - fell slightly. | The figures showed numbers increased for the fourth quarter in a row, although the number of officers in three of Scotland's eight forces - Central Scotland, Tayside and and Dumfries and Galloway - fell slightly. |
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