By Gemma Fraser
Head of content
The closure of police stations is eroding community policing and neighbourhood safety, it has been warned, as it emerged 180 buildings have been lost since the creation of the single force.
New figures obtained by 1919 show 12 stations have been relinquished this year alone, with a further 21 closures or sales “in progress”.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said it is “deeply concerned” by the number of properties lost since 2013, while opposition MSPs have accused the SNP government of “hollowing out” and “presiding over the death of community policing”.
Police Scotland said its “estates transformation” should not be seen as a withdrawal from communities, but a reflection of modern policing “in ways that are more effective and sustainable”.
But David Kennedy, SPF general secretary, said police buildings are “more than bricks and mortar”.
He told 1919: “The Scottish Police Federation remains deeply concerned that the ongoing sale of police stations is eroding the visible presence of policing in our communities.
“These buildings are far more than bricks and mortar – they are a clear and constant deterrent to crime and a vital point of reassurance for the public.
“As stations disappear from our towns and neighbourhoods, so too does the sense of safety they provide.
“Officers are being asked to deliver local policing without the local footprint that communities rightly expect.
“These buildings are far more than bricks and mortar – they are a clear and constant deterrent to crime and a vital point of reassurance for the public”
David Kennedy, SPF general secretary
“Scotland deserves a policing model that is accessible, visible, and rooted in the places it serves – not one defined by retreat and reduced presence.
“It is therefore vital that budget increases are given so that policing can be back in the communities, where it is needed and where it belongs.”
Police Scotland is asking for a minimum £104.9m uplift from the Scottish Government in next year’s budget to enable it to “stand still” after accounting for pay awards, increased national insurance contributions, non-pay inflation, and other unavoidable costs.
The force currently has 337 operational police stations, according to the figures released following a freedom of information request, but many of the buildings are in a state of disrepair.
1919 reported in July that the Scottish Police Authority called in global real estate firm Knight Frank to assess the Police Scotland estate.
Its conclusion was that the maintenance backlog of the Police Scotland estate sits at around £245 million and will take 30 years to fix.
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs told MSPs at a criminal justice committee last month: “The committee will be well aware that Police Scotland inherited a large estate that has shrunk in recent years.
“We have gone from having about 550 premises to having about 330.
“The harsh reality is that many of the premises are not fit for purpose. Much of our spending on the estate is, quite simply, to keep the mechanical and electrical elements working.
“In the current year, an investment of £21 million is being spent across our estate, and we have 140 live projects.
“We are halfway through the financial year and we will spend the entire estate budget.”
The Scottish Government said it is supporting Police Scotland’s estate plan by investing £1.64 billion in policing this year, which includes £70 million of capital funding.
But opposition MSPs have accused the government of failing to adequately fund the service.
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: “The SNP has hollowed out Police Scotland, with fewer officers now than when the force was established in 2013.
“People used to know the names of their local police officers, but those days now seem like ancient history.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur added: “The SNP promised there would be big savings from centralising policing but when those failed to materialise they have been casting around for things to cut.
“As a result, there are now far fewer police stations and far fewer places where the public can walk in and speak to a local police representative.
“While the police will always have operational decisions to take about which parts of their estate are fit for purpose and have a role to play in the future, it would be naive to pretend that budget decisions made by SNP ministers have not played a significant part in leading the service down this road.”
“The SNP is presiding over the death of community policing”
And Scottish Conservative community safety spokesperson Sharon Dowey said: “The SNP’s savage cuts to police budgets mean that, for countless communities across Scotland, a local police station is now a distant memory.
“Not only have almost 200 stations closed or been earmarked for closure, but many of those that remain are in a state of disrepair and unfit for officers to work in.
“The SNP is presiding over the death of community policing, and many Scots will inevitably feel that there is no longer a strong police presence where they live.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said the changes should “not be seen as a withdrawal from communities”.
They told 1919: “Police Scotland inherited a very large and ageing estate, which is costly to maintain, environmentally inefficient and located in areas that no longer reflect the demands on modern policing.
“Our estate needs to be in the right location for our people and for the communities we serve.
“Our estates transformation should not be seen as a withdrawal from communities. We want to maintain a local presence, however, in ways that are more effective and sustainable.
“Under Police Scotland’s estates masterplan, we are aiming to create an estate of strategically based locations and hubs that will enable officers to continue being visible and accessible to local communities.
“Engagement with, and visibility in, communities will be strengthened through our ‘enhancing community policing’ model which is currently being piloted in Forth Valley.
“Work on the estates masterplan is already underway and will make long term tangible improvements to our estate for the benefit of our officers, staff and communities.”
A Scottish Government said community policing is “central to the Scottish Government’s strategic police priorities”.
“Police Scotland delivers on this through measures that enhance local policing and build stronger community links,” a spokesperson added.
“While decisions around police stations and how resources are deployed are operational matters for the Chief Constable, Police Scotland continues to dispose of properties that are no longer fit for purpose or required, while reinvesting in purpose-built facilities to deliver modern premises.
“Scotland’s police officers do an outstanding job and we are grateful for their dedicated work to keep our communities safe.”