Rest days across Police Scotland are cancelled on average every four minutes, new figures have revealed.
There were 35,534 instances between July and September, and a further 32,260 between October and December last year.
Officers bore the brunt with 56,000 cancelled rest days in the six months from July to the end of December, according to Scottish Police Authority (SPA) data.
The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said the burden is falling disproportionately on the front line and warned that policing will be impacted by officers working without adequate rest.
Last month 1919 revealed the number of working days lost due to mental ill health in Police Scotland had risen by more than 50 per cent since 2020.
And we revealed that Police Scotland was facing a twin crisis in recruitment and retention, with applications to the force falling by more than 1,000 in two years, and resignations steadily increasing.
SPF chair David Threadgold said there is “unsustainable” pressure felt by officers to meet the demands placed on them.
He said officers are needed for large scale or last minute events, such as football matches, but are also “tied up” by court citations and managing sickness absence.
“The pressure increases on those who remain. We are left trying to fill holes. It is not sustainable or manageable,” he said.
“Every single rest day that is cancelled has to be reallocated. That simply pushes the problem down the road.
“Within policing there is an understanding that there will be an element of disruption.
“But the inefficiencies in the courts system and the impact of sickness absence is having a significant impact. If police aren’t getting the rest they need, can they carry out their duties at the highest level?
“We are in a situation now where Police Scotland can only deliver policing by cancelling rest days. We need to remember the impact this has on individuals. It disproportionately impacts those on the front line.
“We need to find ways to make the criminal justice system more efficient, so police officers aren’t waiting in court, and we need to ask questions around sickness absence. What is not being done to prevent officers going off sick?”
“We are trying to fill holes. It is not sustainable or manageable”
David Threadgold, Scottish Police Federation chair
1919 previously revealed plans to change shifts, drafting officers in at weekends, in a bid to reduce the impact of cancelled rest days and improve management during high demand periods.
Under the seven-day Force Mobilisation Model (FMM) proposals, officers up to the rank of inspector would work 10 deployments to the front line a year, including two to three designated high-demand days, to provide support during busy periods.
Officer numbers are currently sitting at around 16,600 after falling to their lowest level since 2007 in the middle of last year.
But Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell last month warned that officer numbers could be cut to meet the cost of National Insurance.
Liam Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives’ spokesperson for justice, said officers are “beyond breaking point”.
“With numbers at their lowest since around 2008, the goodwill of police officers is increasingly being relied upon to ensure shifts are filled,” he said.
“We have reached this point due to the SNP’s shocking neglect of frontline policing over the last 18 years which has pushed officers beyond breaking point.
“Rather than continuing to ignore the needs of our police, SNP ministers should show some common sense and ensure resources are in place to urgently boost officer numbers.”
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The Chief Constable has been clear that policing’s role in dealing with mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people is beyond where it should be, and has established a mental health taskforce to co-ordinate work to better balance our involvement.
“With numbers at their lowest since around 2008, the goodwill of police officers is increasingly being relied upon to ensure shifts are filled”
Liam Kerr, Scottish Conservative MSP
“We also know that too many officers and members of the public are being cited for court and are not called to give evidence. We are working with partners to change policy and practice around how we manage and progress cases through court.
“A summary case management initiative is being rolled out across Scotland after demonstrating that cases within pilot courts were resolving more quickly, improving the experience of victims and witnesses, and allowing more officers to be available to deliver policing in our communities.
“Work is progressing to reduce the impact policing of events is having on officers and we are already seeing a reduction in cancelled rest days.
“Our recruitment pipeline is healthy and the latest intake of probationary constables brought officer establishment to 16,614.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our record police funding in 2024/25 has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in this financial year than at any time since 2013.
“Police Scotland announced in January that the latest intake had brought the total number of police officers to 16,614.
“In 2025/26, we are increasing investment in policing by £70 million to £1.62 billion to support policing capacity and capability.”