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Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Police union threatens legal action over Trump visit
The chief constable of Police Scotland has been threatened with legal action ahead of a visit by Donald Trump. The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents more than 16,000 officers, alleged on Monday that workforce agreements to protect the rank and file from working 12-hour shifts had been breached. It said its lawyers had been instructed to examine potential legal action against Police Scotland after some officers were allegedly told they were expected to work 12-hour shifts for up to 10 consecutive days ahead of Mr Trump's visit on Friday. The federation said it had workforce agreements in place to protect officers and provide minimum standards of health and safety at work. It follows warnings by David Threadgold, the SPF chairman, that all officers in Scotland could be affected by the presidential visit, with some expected to work 12-hour shifts, posing a 'challenge' for how they eat, sleep and rest. On Monday, David Kennedy, general secretary of the federation, revealed that two police officers from the north-east who were due to marry this weekend had been told they would have to work. The couple, who have been planning their wedding for a year, have lodged an official request for 'excusal' from duty. Mr Kennedy said he expected the request to be granted but pointed out that police colleagues due to attend as wedding guests would unlikely be able to do so. 'We currently have workforce agreements in place to protect police officers and provide minimum standards of health and safety at work,' Mr Kennedy said. 'Sadly, we have seen these agreements breached in the days leading to the arrival of Potus and as such we are seeking legal advice regarding potential legal action against the service.' Mr Trump is expected to touch down at Prestwick airport on Friday and visit both of his golf courses in Scotland, Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire, between July 25 and July 29. The president will meet Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in Aberdeen, while plans are being put in place for Mr Trump to meet John Swinney, the First Minister, according to the Scottish Government. Strict airspace restrictions will also be in place over Mr Trump's inaugural Scottish golf resort as part of a vast security operation. Police Scotland has asked for Northern Irish officers to assist and has submitted a mutual aid request to the Police Service of Northern Ireland for additional officers. Police forces usually make requests ahead of large operations or when their resources are stretched. Mr Kennedy added: 'So, there's two agreements running. We reached an agreement to cover it, and they then have reneged on that agreement and breached our current force agreement that covers everybody. 'The breach of the agreement won't stop the policing of the event, but what it's to do with is how officers are paid and how they're remunerated for any work that takes place during the president's arrival and time here.' Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond of Police Scotland said: 'We are working closely with the Scottish Police Federation to address any concerns they may have.'
STV News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Over a third of Scots say crime is rising amid police resource concerns
More than a third of Scots believe the crime rate has increased in their local community, with widespread public fears that police officers do not have sufficient resources. In a new opinion poll conducted by Survation, 13% of people in Scotland said crime has risen a lot in the past two years and a further 21% said it has gone up a little. Only 11% said they feel the rate has fallen. At the same time, most Scots feel that police officers in their local area do not have the necessary resources to prevent crime happening in the first place. There was, however, more confidence in the force being able to solve crimes that have occurred. Justice secretary Angela Constance said she was 'concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some', but said Scotland 'continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991'. Opposition parties warned of an 'epidemic of serious violence' and called for measures to 'restore confidence in our policing and justice system'. David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said officers are 'hamstrung' because they are dealing with too many health-related issues – often being the first point of contact when someone is in mental health distress. The poll was published on Tuesday in the July edition of 1919 Magazine. David Threadgold, chair of the SPF, said: 'If the government is genuinely concerned about policing and the electorate's perception of crime, then it should take heed of this poll. 'When police have the tools and the resources, they have the ability to get the job done – but at present we're not able to carry out basic police functions like interacting with the public to prevent crime in the first place. 'Operational cops are hamstrung because they are carrying out health functions. 'Policing has got to become a greater priority for government.' The Survation poll of 1,003 people in Scotland aged 16 and above was conducted for 1919 Magazine between June 9 and 12. Respondents were asked: 'How much would you say the crime rate in your local area has changed since two years ago?' A combined total of 34% said 'a lot more' or 'a little more', 44% said 'about the same', and 11% said 'a lot less' or 'a little less'. The poll also asked people how confident they are about police in their local area having sufficient resources. Nearly two-thirds (62%) said they are not confident there are resources to prevent crime happening in the first place, while 49% said the same for dealing with incidents as they occur. In terms of solving crimes, there was a more even split – with 43% expressing confidence and 46% stating the opposite. Asked about the visibility of cops in their community, only 33% said they are confident there are enough resources for this. Scottish Labour's justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill MSP said: 'Everyone should be able to feel safe in their local community. However, this poll suggests that for too many people, that is sadly not the case. 'This pinpoints exactly the problem with policing under the SNP – it has allowed basic policing to decline, therefore trust in the police service is being eroded. 'Members of the public must be given the reassurance that when they need help, our police will be there for them. 'Unfortunately, this SNP government has failed to back Police Scotland, just as it has allowed public services to decline. 'It is testament to the dedication of officers that, despite the challenges they are facing, there is confidence in the police to solve crimes and investigate incidents after they occur. 'Scottish Labour will tackle the epidemic of serious violence and restore confidence in our policing and justice system.' Scottish Conservative community safety spokesperson Sharon Dowey MSP added: 'This damning survey exposes how badly the SNP's soft-touch justice system is failing Scots. 'The nationalists have consistently cut police resource, which has left them unable to investigate certain crimes. 'Law-abiding Scots have clearly lost trust in the SNP's system which continually panders to offenders and leaves victims as an afterthought. 'SNP ministers need to urgently show some common sense and start to prioritise frontline policing by delivering the resources required to keep communities safe.' Justice secretary Angela Constance pointed to a record budget from the Scottish Government for policing. 'Our thoughts remain with anyone affected by crime and I am concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some,' she told 1919. 'I want to reassure people that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. 'This is backed up by the recently published Recorded Crime in Scotland 2024/25, which shows reported crime falling by more than half since 1991 and the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities. 'This year we will invest £4.2bn across the justice system including a record £1.64bn for policing – an increase of £90m on 2024/25. 'Our continued investment has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. There were 16,553 police officers as of March 31, 2025.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scots fear crime is rising in their local area as SNP Government accused of 'hollowing out' police
Only 11 per cent of Scots believe the crime rate in their area has fallen in recent years, a poll has found. The SNP Government has been urged to make policing a "greater priority" after a poll found a third of Scots believe crime in their neighbourhood has increased. Research by Survation revealed that 34 per cent of people think the crime rate in their areas is either a little or a lot more than it was two years ago. The concerns come despite official figures showing recorded crime in 2024-25 was down slightly from the previous year – and has more than halved since 1991. But polling carried out for 1919 magazine found only 11 per cent of people believed the crime rate in their area to be down over the last two years. Nearly two-thirds of Scots added they were not confident the police have enough resources to prevent crime happening in the first place, while almost half said the same for dealing with incidents as they occur. It found 51 per cent also said they were not confident the police have the resources to respond quickly to calls and information from the public. And 46 per cent were not confident police in their area have enough resources to solve crimes, and 58 per cent are concerned they are not able to provide a visible presence in the community. David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, said: 'When police have the tools and the resources, they have the ability to get the job done but, at present, we're not able to carry out basic police functions like interacting with the public to prevent crime in the first place. "Operational cops are hamstrung because they are carrying out health functions. Policing has got to become a greater priority for Government.' Labour justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: 'Everyone should be able to feel safe in their local community. However, this poll suggests that for too many people, that is sadly not the case.' She added that this 'pinpoints exactly the problem with policing under the SNP' – saying the Government has 'allowed basic policing to decline, therefore trust in the police service is being eroded'. McNeill insisted: 'Members of the public must be given the reassurance that when they need help, our police will be there for them. "Unfortunately, this SNP Government has failed to back Police Scotland, just as it has allowed public services to decline.' Angela Constance said she was 'concerned' to hear of a 'perceived increase in crime' as she stressed the Scottish Government was providing record budget funding for policing. The Justice Secretary said: "I want to reassure people that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. "This is backed up by the recently published Recorded Crime in Scotland 2024-25, which shows reported crime falling by more than half since 1991 and the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities.' She added: 'This year, we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64 billion for policing – an increase of £90 million on 2024-25." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We welcome scrutiny and the Chief Constable is very clear about the priority of strengthening the front line as part of our vision of safer communities, less crime, supported victims and a thriving workforce. "Over a period of many years Scotland has experienced less crime. However, we are not complacent and work in partnership to ensure the country remains a safe place to live and work."
Scotsman
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Police Scotland: Poll reveals how many Scots believe local crime rate has increased
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... More than a third of Scots believe the crime rate has increased in their local community, with widespread public concern over the police having sufficient resources. In a new opinion poll conducted by Survation, 13 per cent of people in Scotland said crime has risen a lot in the past two years and a further 21 per cent said it has gone up a little. Only 11 per cent believe the rate has fallen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At the same time, most Scots feel police officers in their local area do not have the necessary resources to prevent crime happening in the first place. There was, however, more confidence in the force being able to solve crimes. Police Scotland officers | PA SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance said she was 'concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some', but said Scotland 'continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991'. Opposition parties warned of an 'epidemic of serious violence' and called for measures to 'restore confidence in our policing and justice system'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said: 'If the government is genuinely concerned about policing and the electorate's perception of crime, then it should take heed of this poll. 'When police have the tools and the resources, they have the ability to get the job done. But at present we're not able to carry out basic police functions like interacting with the public to prevent crime in the first place. 'Operational cops are hamstrung because they are carrying out health functions. Policing has got to become a greater priority for government.' The Survation poll of 1,003 people in Scotland aged 16 and above was conducted for 1919 Magazine, which is funded by the SPF, between June 9 and 12. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Respondents were asked 'how much would you say the crime rate in your local area has changed since two years ago?' A combined total of 34 per cent said a lot more or a little more, 44 per cent said 'about the same', and 11 per cent said a lot less or a little less. The poll also asked people how confident they are about police in their local area having sufficient resources. Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) said they were not confident there were resources to prevent crime happening in the first place, while 49 per cent said the same for dealing with incidents as they occur. In terms of solving crimes, there was a more even split – with 43 per cent expressing confidence and 46 per cent stating the opposite. Asked about the visibility of police officers in their community, only 33 per cent said they were confident there were enough resources to provide for this. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Sadly not the case' Scottish Labour's justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said: 'Everyone should be able to feel safe in their local community. However, this poll suggests that for too many people, that is sadly not the case. Labour MSP Pauline McNeill | Getty Images 'This pinpoints exactly the problem with policing under the SNP. It has allowed basic policing to decline, therefore trust in the police service is being eroded. 'Members of the public must be given the reassurance that when they need help, our police will be there for them. Unfortunately, this SNP Government has failed to back Police Scotland, just as it has allowed public services to decline. 'It is testament to the dedication of officers that, despite the challenges they are facing, there is confidence in the police to solve crimes and investigate incidents after they occur.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Soft-touch justice' Scottish Conservative community safety spokeswoman Sharon Dowey said the survey 'exposes how badly the SNP's soft-touch justice system is failing Scots'. She said: 'The nationalists have consistently cut police resource, which has left them unable to investigate certain crimes. Law-abiding Scots have clearly lost trust in the SNP's system, which continually panders to offenders and leaves victims as an afterthought. 'SNP ministers need to urgently show some common sense and start to prioritise frontline policing by delivering the resources required to keep communities safe.' The policing budget Ms Constance pointed to a record budget from the Scottish Government for policing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She told 1919: 'Our thoughts remain with anyone affected by crime and I am concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some. I want to reassure people that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. 'This is backed up by the recently published Recorded Crime in Scotland 2024/25, which shows reported crime falling by more than half since 1991 and the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, which also showed people feel safer in their communities. 'This year we will invest £4.2 billion across the justice system including a record £1.64bn for policing – an increase of £90 million on 2024/25. 'Our continued investment has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. There were 16,553 police officers as of March 31, 2025.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It came as new figures showed Police Scotland officers worked almost four-and-a-half million hours of overtime over the past five years. A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Tories revealed officers worked 4,490,739 hours of overtime, which is the equivalent of almost 513 years' worth.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
‘Truly shocking': Dozens of teens found with knives
In 2024, Scottish police found 91 people aged 18 and under in possession of a bladed weapon, including a 10-year-old. More than a dozen children aged 13 – including two girls – were found to have such items when searched. The statistics, analysed by 1919 magazine, indicate that teenagers accounted for almost a third of positive knife searches across all age groups in Scotland. The Scottish Police Federation's chairman, David Threadgold, expressed concern over an emerging societal trend among younger people, saying the statistics are 'truly shocking'. Scottish Labour 's justice spokesperson, Pauline McNeill, described the figures as a sign of a 'youth violence epidemic' and called for early intervention schemes to address the root causes.
