Fears for front line as 5% of Scottish police officers eligible to retire

A total of 914 officers can opt to retire in the period up to June 30 next year, with a further 148 members of police staff also eligible, according to new figures.

The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents 98 per cent of all police officers in Scotland, warned that if large numbers of officers choose to leave the service at the same time, it will put even further pressure on the front line.

However, Police Scotland said it keeps retirement rates under close review, and that its “recruitment pipeline is healthy”. It said 73 officers recently took part in a passing out parade to mark the end of their initial training and were now preparing to deploy to communities across the country.

Justice magazine 1919, though, says the organisation has struggled to recruit and retain officers following a sharp drop in the number of people applying to the force.

Applications fell by 1,273 in just two years, and recent years have also seen a decline in officer numbers which fell to their lowest level since 2007 in mid-2024, it said.

A minimum police officer total of 17,234 was set by the Scottish government in 2007, which was later abandoned. As of June 30, there were 16,427 full-time equivalent officers in Scotland.

The new figures on eligibility for retirement are published today (September 2) in 1919 magazine (www.1919magazine.co.uk).

David Kennedy, SPF general secretary, said: “People don’t see the service as what it was. That’s the reality.

“In a different climate you might see people who are eligible for retirement who don’t want to [leave the force] because they don’t have to.

“If they felt happy in their job, I think they might stay, but they’re not going to. That’s why they’re leaving – because they’re exhausted.

“What that does is put further pressure on the service, so Police Scotland needs to up its recruitment. But you’re also losing vast experience – that’s the big issue.

“People have to retire; it’s inevitable. So you have to plan this years in advance, not wait until it actually happens and then say ‘what are we going to do?’”

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP, a former police officer, added: “Scottish policing is facing a relentless raft of pressures, and this news is just the latest strain.

“There are so few incentives for police officers to stay on in the service. They are having to attend increasingly complex and time-consuming cases without the proper support they need. It’s leaving them feeling run ragged.

“The Scottish government must urgently heed the warnings of this recruitment crisis and meet the needs of officers and staff through proper resourcing. There also needs to be more regular staff surveys to anticipate growing problems and ensure the concerns of officers are being heard and acted on.”

Scottish Conservative justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said:

“The potential of such a significant departure from Police Scotland is alarming in terms of numbers.

“But it is also an immense loss of experience at a time when the force has never needed it more.

“These retirements shouldn’t come as a surprise to the SNP government, whose failure to plan ahead looks set to put officers and communities at risk yet again.”

But a Scottish government spokesperson said: “As in all walks of life and sectors, people are entitled to leave and retire from their jobs.

“We are investing a record £1.64 billion in policing this year, an increase of almost £90 million from 2024/25. Latest figures show there were 16,427 police officers at the end of June and our funding has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024/25 than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout this year.

“Police Scotland has stated that it has a healthy recruitment pipeline.

“Police Scotland’s three-year business plan 2024-2027 sets out an ambitious programme of workforce modernisation which aims to bring frontline policing to its strongest possible position.”