Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, has voiced “deep alarm” at a “significant drop” in the number of special constables within Lanarkshire.
Responses to Freedom of Information requests from the party show that there were only 423 special constables available to Police Scotland as of September last year. That was a drop of almost 1,000 on the 1,394 who were volunteering across Scotland in 2014.
The response to the party shows how numbers have continued to fall since 2019/20. In Lanarkshire there were 23 but that had fallen to 19.
Mr Simpson says this is only adding to the pressures being faced by hardworking salaried officers in Lanarkshire with numbers at their lowest since 2008 on the SNP’s watch.
He added that special constables play a hugely important role in engaging with communities in the region and that SNP justice secretary Keith Brown must urgently outline how he will reverse this worrying trend.
MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson said: “This drop in the number of special constables within Lanarkshire is deeply alarming.
“This has been the trend now for a number of years and the SNP are doing nothing to reverse this.
“Special constables play a hugely important role in engaging with communities in Lanarkshire, all in their own time.
“They also assist officers to detect crime and help to keep our communities in safe.
“It is clear that the centralisation of Scotland’s police forces has meant the role of special constables has become diminished.
“SNP justice secretary Keith Brown must urgently outline a plan as to how he will reverse this concerning and on-going downward trend.”
