Record Number Of Police In Highlands

Extra 65 Northern Constabulary Police Officers Since 2007

EWING DELIGHT AT RECORD NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS IN HIGHLANDS

Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, has welcomed the publication of statistics today which show that there are now a record 17,038 police officers in Scotland, including an additional 65 in the Northern Constabulary area since the SNP Government came to power in 2007.

When the SNP came to Government there were 707 Police Officers in Northern Constabulary (Q1 2007), now that figure stands at 772 (Q1 2009). An increase of 65, just over 8%.

Mr Ewing said:

“These extra police officers delivered by the Scottish Government are ensuring that our homes, businesses and streets in communities from Inverness to Aviemore and Fort William to Nairn and throughout the Highlands are safer.

“Thanks to the SNP we now have an extra 65 extra police officers in the Highland providing a visible, reassuring presence in our communities.

Mr Ewing continued:

“The SNP promised in our manifesto of 2007 that we would put more Bobbies on the Beat, that is exactly what the Scottish Government has done.

“Today's figures show that the Scottish Government, after only two years in office, is well on our way to deliver on our commitment to have an extra 1000 officers by March 2011 and that the SNP are delivering on their promise to create a safer Highlands and a safer Scotland.”

1. The full statistical publication can be found here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00739.