POLICE Scotland support staff are facing further redundancies next year as the force attempts to balance its books in 2015/16, Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has told MSPs.
The organisation has an overall strategic target of saving £1.1 billion by 2026, Holyrood's Justice Committee heard.
"We are internally very confident we will meet that strategic target," Sir Stephen said. He warned the path ahead was not smooth and there is no area - except police officer numbers, which are protected - which will not be considered in order to make savings.
Police Scotland is already on course to balance its budget for 2014/15, with savings in the region of £60 million. A similar level of savings is also required for 2015/16.
About 2,000 civilian staff have been cut through voluntary redundancies and early retirement schemes since 2009.
Sir Stephen said further cuts in this area were likely but there was "no specific target" on numbers. Savings could also be made by reducing the force's property portfolio, improving the energy efficiency of buildings and the vehicle fleet, Sir Stephen told MSPs.
Reviews of communications and IT systems, the procurement of contracts, overtime for police officers and the number of senior ranked officers would also be considered.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson, giving evidence to the committee for the first time, said he intended to continue to press the UK Treasury on its decision not to allow Police Scotland to recover VAT.
Speaking after the committee, Sir Stephen warned that the VAT bill - some £23 million a year - will have a significant impact on his resources when it moves from the Scottish Government to the Police Scotland budget.
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