THE number of police officers in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in more than three years.
The total of 17,244 is still 10 more than the target set by the SNP when it came to office in 2007. But it has decreased by 252 full-time equivalent officers over a year, and is at its lowest point since December 2010.
The SNP pledged to boost the number of police by 1000 after it formed a minority administration in 2007.
Since then, the figure has increased by 6% from 16,234.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "We have always said that police numbers will fluctuate and this publication shows they are … continuing to exceed the target while keeping costs down.
"Alongside Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, we are strongly committed to delivering 1000 extra officers.
"The creation of Police Scotland … has allowed local policing to prosper with officers dedicated solely to local policing."
But Scottish Labour MSP Graeme Pearson said the SNP is "playing a numbers game" for headlines.
The former senior police officer said: "There has been a far greater reduction in the number of police officers actually on our streets, tackling crime.
"With the loss of thousands of civilian jobs, we have police officers sitting behind desks and not out on the streets. Recent media coverage reveals police officers sat in closed police stations refusing to answer the phone."
He added: "We have Police Scotland slashing budgets all over the place to try to keep a headline number of officers which the SNP know bears no reality to the numbers actually on our streets."
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