It is important to recognise that the recruitment of police officers is a matter for the chief constable. Nonetheless, despite the deeply challenging financial circumstances, our budget settlement for 2024-25 for Police Scotland includes an additional £75.7 million to protect front-line policing.
As the chief constable confirmed to the Criminal Justice Committee, that budget settlement will enable Police Scotland to bring officer numbers up to around 16,500 to 16,600. It should be noted that Police Scotland has welcomed more than 690 new officers since March and more than 1,280 new recruits since the beginning of 2023, with further intakes planned throughout this year. Police Scotland is set to take on more recruits this year than at any time since 2013.