Police numbers in Scotland have hit their lowest degree in nearly 14 years, figures confirmed - with nearly 700 officers having give up the power within the final yr alone.
Police Scotland had 16,610 full time equal (FTE) officers in its ranks on the finish of June 2022 - the bottom quantity because the creation of the one nationwide police power.
The most recent figures, revealed by the Scottish Authorities, confirmed the variety of FTE officers has fallen by 679 from the identical time the earlier yr - the equal of virtually two officers leaving the power a day during the last 12 months.
Within the final three months alone, the quantity has fallen by 195 FTE officers - with the general whole now on the lowest it has been because the finish of September 2008.
The Tories stated the newest figures confirmed the SNP had "created a disaster in policing".
Jamie Greene, Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, stated: "This exodus of officers from our police power must be an enormous wake-up name for the SNP.
"These newest figures present a drop of greater than 600 officers in lower than a yr, highlighting that policing is not an SNP Authorities precedence - because the chief constable of Police Scotland has stated himself.
"What's worse, relations between cops and the SNP Authorities are at all-time low resulting from derisory pay affords which have led the police to take industrial motion regardless of their restricted authorized powers to take action.
"The SNP have additional insulted the police by failing to ship on their earlier guarantees about defending police funding and officer numbers, and it's public security that may undergo because of this.
"The SNP have created a disaster in policing - they should repair this mess or threat crime charges spiralling uncontrolled."
The SNP got here to energy in Scotland in 2007 with a pledge to extend the variety of officers by 1,000 - taking the full variety of police from 16,265 FTE officers on the finish of June that yr to 17,278 FTE by the tip of June 2009.
Officer numbers then peaked at 17,496 on the finish of March 2013, and whereas they've fluctuated after that, they remained above 17,000 till the tip of final yr.
On the finish of December 2021, the figures confirmed 17,117 FTE officers amongst Police Scotland's ranks, with this then falling to 16,805 FTE on the finish of March this yr, earlier than the newest lower.
The most recent figures on officer numbers come after information launched underneath Freedom of Data revealed that 763 Scottish cops plan to retire this yr, nicely above the typical of 584 re-tirals recorded over annually for the final 5 years.
Police Scotland just lately launched a recruitment marketing campaign, with Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone saying he needs to "encourage all people to think about a profession in policing".
Livingstone stated: "Officer numbers are decrease because of restricted recruitment due to Covid, the Cop26 local weather change summit, and elevated retirals ensuing from adjustments to pension preparations.
"We're recruiting and I welcomed 300 new probationary constables final week."
However he additionally stated: "I've been clear the funding preparations set out within the Scottish Authorities's spending overview, if progressed, will imply tough selections for policing in Scotland - for instance, a much smaller workforce.
"Workforce planning can help in understanding finest meet the more and more advanced policing wants of our communities.
"However this shall be a problem, notably as policing in Scotland already delivers round £200 million of annual financial savings in comparison with legacy preparations."
To enroll to the Every day Report Politics e-newsletter, click on right here.