Police Scotland is set to cut staff jobs as it faces a projected budget over-spend of £19m, with a union warning the system is already "straining at the seams".
The force is planning to reduce the number of staff as it aims to maintain the same number of rank and file officers, with union UNISON saying there are already not enough staff to meet demand.
Police Scotland previously said it would have to make £50m in cuts this year, and officers and staff have been told the service is still £19m short of that target.
A recruitment cap was imposed from Wednesday, and will remain in place until financial forecasts predict a balanced budget.
It's understood a memo detailing the plans was circulated and relayed to officers and staff on Friday.
A source said they expected complaints from the public as work would not be picked up, with at least one instance of someone being forced to leave their local branch after the office was closed due to a lack of staffing.
Police Scotland said the recruitment pause would not apply to priority areas such as contact centres or custody.
Deputy secretary of Police Staff Scotland UNISON branch, David Malcolm said: “Police Scotland rely on staff to do more and more overtime to keep the service running. They used 1.3 million hours of overtime in the last financial year.
"Staff already struggle to get their breaks and book annual leave, and they regularly work on understaffed shifts. There is quite simply more work than staff to do it, and something needs to give. Policing in Scotland needs more money, or we need to do less.
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“UNISON stewards have emails every day about custody suites straining at the seams and staff struggling to care for people with significant mental health needs. Staff in control rooms say they are juggling emergency calls as the work close to minimum safe staffing levels. And corporate services staff work many hours of flexi-time, but are not able to claim it back.”
UNISON regional organiser, Deborah Clarke said: “This decision by Police Scotland is an imposition on police support staff, who are already working flat out. UNISON has not agreed to a recruitment freeze and Police Scotland have not consulted us.
"It’s another top down decision taken with no consideration as to how it will affect hard-working police staff. The Scottish Government are also asking emergency services to share services and collaborate better together. While this might sound good, it will just mean more work for already stressed staff”.
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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "The revenue budget provided by the Scottish Government does not allow us to maintain our workforce at the levels of previous years and at the same time make a fair pay award in 2023-24.
"Hard choices are being taken to deliver effective policing within the funding available.
“Urgent action is being taken to achieve savings, with areas which encounter the greatest demand and which carry the greatest risk in keeping people safe being prioritised for resources.
"Our officer establishment will remain around 16,600 and we are building a service model which reflects that level. At the same time, we will reduce police staff numbers proportionately and return overtime costs to normal levels.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Police Scotland is a vital service, which is why, despite difficult financial circumstances due to UK Government austerity, we have increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £11.6 billion since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013.
“There are over 350 more officers than in 2007 and around 1,280 new recruits have joined Police Scotland in the last 18 months.
“Scotland also continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.”
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