By Chris Green
Scottish police officers are having almost 10,000 rest days cancelled every month, with the practice now becoming routine across the force.
New figures show that lower ranks are bearing the brunt of the disruption, with those in more senior positions far less likely to have their days off cancelled.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said the scale of the cancellations laid bare the “relentless and unsustainable pressure” being placed on frontline officers.
The figures were released by Police Scotland in response to a freedom of information request and have been analysed by 1919.
They show that between January 2020 and the end of February this year, a total of 704,019 rest days were cancelled across the force.
This is equivalent to more than 9,500 every month, or over 2,000 per week, which the SPF said proved the practice is “embedded within the day-to-day running of policing”.
A breakdown of the figures by rank reveals that constables are the worst hit, with their cancelled rest days making up three quarters (76 per cent) of the total.
Further up the ranks, the numbers steadily drop off, with chief inspectors accounting for only 2.7 per cent of the cancellations and chief superintendents only 0.4 per cent.
SPF general secretary David Kennedy told 1919 that officers were being denied “essential recovery time, family life, and basic work-life balance”.
“These figures lay bare the relentless and unsustainable pressure being placed on police officers across Scotland,” he said.
“What is particularly concerning is the scale and consistency of the demand. These cancellations are not isolated to major events or emergencies, they are embedded within the day-to-day running of policing.
“Policing cannot continue to function on the erosion of officers’ welfare. Rest days exist for a reason: they are a critical safeguard for both officer wellbeing and public safety.
“Fatigued officers are not only at risk themselves, but cannot perform at the level the public rightly expects. These figures must serve as a wake-up call.”
“These cancellations are not isolated to major events or emergencies, they are embedded within the day-to-day running of policing”
The figures also detailed the reasons why rest days were cancelled, with almost a quarter (24.5 per cent) being triggered by court appearances.
1919 has previously revealed how more than 500 officers are summoned to court every day on average, with only around 10 per cent ever required to give evidence.
In one case in 2024, three officers were summoned to Edinburgh Sheriff Court to give evidence against someone who had died.
Geographically, there were also large variations in cancelled rest days, with G Division in Glasgow recording the highest number by far, at 115,153.
Kennedy said these patterns showed a police service that is “stretched beyond safe limits” and “relying on goodwill rather than sustainable workforce planning”.
He added: “The SPF has consistently warned that reduced officer numbers, increasing demand, and ongoing financial constraints are creating a perfect storm. This data provides clear, empirical evidence of that reality.
“We are calling on Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, and the new Scottish Government to urgently address sustainable staffing levels, proper workforce planning, a reduction in reliance on rest day cancellations as a routine staffing tool, and recognition of the impact on officer welfare and operational effectiveness.
“Our members are committed, professional, and continue to go above and beyond. But policing cannot continue to rely on sacrifice alone.
“Enough is enough – this level of demand is not sustainable, and without meaningful intervention, the long-term resilience of the service is at real risk.”
Responding to the figures, Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The Chief Constable has been clear that our priority is to strengthen and modernise our front line to deliver efficient and effective policing.
“Officers and staff work hard to deliver for communities and keep people safe, and our workforce is under pressure from increased threats and a rapidly intensifying operational environment, which is why we have taken steps to ensure we can deploy officers from across the force more flexibly to meet those threats and demands.
“Work is also progressing to reduce the impact policing of events is having on officers and reducing the disruption to their rest days.
“There is more to be done, and Police Scotland will continue to drive improvements in this area.”
Rest day cancellations by rank
| Rank | Rest days cancelled |
|---|---|
| Constable | 537,586 |
| Sergeant | 93,773 |
| Inspector | 42,786 |
| Chief Inspector | 18,921 |
| Superintendent | 8,456 |
| Chief Superintendent | 2,497 |
Rest day cancellations by division (top five only)
| Division | Rest days cancelled |
|---|---|
| G Division (Greater Glasgow) | 115,153 |
| Operational Support Division | 92,002 |
| Q Division (Lanarkshire) | 54,849 |
| E Division (Edinburgh) | 54,505 |
| Specialist Crime Division | 52,038 |