By Gemma Fraser
and Alan Roden
More than half of Scots think police officers are less visible in their communities, sparking demands for the new government to prioritise investment in the front line.
An exclusive opinion poll for 1919 found that 53 per cent of adults think there has been a reduction in their local area over the past five years.
Following a series of mass closures, the Survation poll also revealed there is strong support from the public for operational police stations to make communities safer.
And nearly four in ten Scots feel less confident about reporting crime, raising fears that cutbacks are eroding officers’ ability to do their job and prevent incidents from happening.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said the findings demonstrate the need for policing to be “properly resourced” with sustained investment to maintain officer numbers and provide proactive community policing.
Police Scotland said its priority is to strengthen the front line and provide visible, proactive policing in communities.
The polling results come after First Minister John Swinney appointed Neil Gray as Justice Secretary, with Angela Constance moving into his old role in charge of health and social care.
Thinking about the visibility of police officers in your area compared with five years ago, would you say police are…
Opposition politicians said the findings are a consequence of “years of SNP cuts to frontline policing”, warning that Gray needs to argue for greater resourcing for police.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the SPF, said the survey results would not come as a surprise to police officers.
He told 1919: “Policing is built on public trust and confidence. When people see fewer officers on their streets, in town centres and within their communities, it is understandable that some will feel less connected to the service and less confident about reporting information or concerns.
“Visibility is not simply about reassurance, it plays a vital role in preventing crime, gathering intelligence and maintaining strong relationships between the police and the public.
“The survey’s findings regarding police stations are equally significant. While modern policing does not require every officer to be based in a traditional station, local police buildings still provide an important and visible connection between the service and the communities it serves.
“The public clearly recognises the value of having a police presence rooted within their local area.”
David Kennedy, Scottish Police Federation general secretary
Police Scotland will receive an extra £90.4 million in day-to-day spending this financial year, but that falls £15 million short of what the chief constable said she needs simply to “stand still” – previously warning that a lower allocation “would mean that our workforce would shrink further”.
There were 16,430 full-time equivalent officers in Scotland as of March 31, down 123 from the previous year.
Kennedy added: “If Scotland wants more visible policing, greater community engagement and increased public confidence, there must be sustained investment in policing.
“That means maintaining officer numbers, investing in local policing and ensuring officers have the time and resources to be proactive within the communities they serve, rather than simply moving from one emergency call to the next.
“The public’s message in this survey is clear: they want to see more police officers in their communities, and they want confidence that policing remains visible, accessible and connected to the people it serves.
“Policymakers must listen carefully to those concerns and ensure policing is properly resourced to meet public expectations.”
Survation polled 2,034 adults in Scotland in April, reflecting the demographic makeup of the country.
Compared with five years ago, participants were asked to think about the visibility of police officers in their area. A third said they are much less visible, and a further 21 per cent said they are slightly less visible.
Respondents were also asked how confident they are in contacting the police with information about crime, compared with five years ago. Only 14 per cent said they are more confident, while 39 per cent said the opposite.
The poll also asked Scots about police stations, with at least 180 buildings lost since the creation of the single force. Nearly 40 per cent said their local community would be safer if it had an operational police station.
Compared with five years ago, how confident, if at all, would you say you are in contacting the police with information about crime?
Victim Support Scotland said it is important that victims of crime have confidence in the reporting process.
Debbie Adams, interim chief executive, said: “That confidence is not just about how police are present in a community, it is how effective, visible and trusted they are within that community.
“We value Police Scotland’s commitment to improving trauma-informed policing. Victims often tell us that how they feel and the way they were treated by justice agencies has a lasting impact, and this includes their likelihood of reporting a crime again in future.
“Partnership working between police, support services and other public bodies is vital to enhance the sense of how safe people feel within their community. For example, we recently heard from families about the need for effective youth services to help improve community safety and provide young people with purposeful recreation opportunities.”
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr told 1919 the “damning findings are the inevitable consequence of years of SNP cuts to frontline policing”.
“Their centralisation agenda has destroyed the connection between local communities and the police officers serving them,” he said. “The reality is hardly anyone knows who their local officers are or see police regularly in their area.
“Communities have watched officer numbers fall, local police stations close and a visible policing disappear at the same time crime is rising.
“It is time to back our police officers, by increasing police numbers, and ensuring our police force has the resources to protect the public.”
Scottish Labour’s justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill echoed his views.
She said: “The SNP has been failing our communities for years, allowing officer numbers to decline and leaving people feeling less safe as a result.
“Despite the warnings of the chief constable, the SNP has left Police Scotland short-changed and at risk of failing to provide what is needed to meet the ever-increasing demands on the force.
“Neil Gray has been handed responsibility as the new justice secretary, and he must learn from the mistakes of his predecessor.
“He must consider investing in alternatives to custody, and to stand up in cabinet to argue for greater resourcing for Police Scotland.”
Police Scotland said its policing vision includes strengthening the front line and creating a fit-for-purpose estate.
Deputy Chief Constable Bex Smith told 1919: “The chief constable has made it clear her priority is to strengthen our front line and provide a visible, proactive policing presence in our communities across the country.
“We have set out a vision for policing of safer communities, less crime, supported victims and a thriving workforce, and we are taking steps to achieve these ambitions.
“We’ve driven efforts to focus our response on threat, harm and risk and on problem solving which can prevent crime and help to reduce demand.
“The chief constable has made it clear her priority is to strengthen our front line and provide a visible, proactive policing presence in our communities across the country”
Deputy Chief Constable Bex Smith
“We are also committed to ensuring a thriving workforce by acting on key priorities, such as estates, equipment, and workforce pressure, identified during the ‘Your Voice Matters’ survey.
“In November 2024 the Scottish Police Authority endorsed Police Scotland’s estates masterplan, a 10-year programme to create a modern, fit-for-purpose estate that best serves our communities and our workforce.
“The aim is to create an estate of strategically based locations or hubs that enable officers to be visible and accessible to local communities, whilst being environmentally sustainable and economically viable for the future.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “Scotland’s police service will always be both visible and at the heart of our communities. Police are keeping people safe every day as shown with recorded crime falling by half since 1991.
“Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales, and Scottish police officers have consistently been the best paid in the UK, at the minimum and maximum of each rank.
“Our record investment continues to allow Police Scotland to recruit new officers and maintain officer numbers at 16,500.
“The budget provides more than £1.7 billion for policing in 2026/27, which will allow Police Scotland to make progress on delivering its estates masterplan and ensure officers remain embedded in the communities they serve.”