We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Police officer quarterly strength statistics: 30 June 2023

Published
1 August 2023
Directorate
Justice Directorate

Statistics on police officer quarterly strength, which gives the number of full-time-equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland.

This document is part of a collection

Scotland's Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland.

The key findings of the statistics are:

  • there were 16,600 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 30 June 2023
  • police officer numbers decreased by 15 FTE officers (-0.1%) in the last quarter from 31 March 2023
  • police officer numbers decreased by 11 FTE officers (-0.1%) in the last year from 30 June 2022
  • this is an increase of 366 FTE police officers (+2.3%) from the 16,234 FTE police officers recorded at 31 March 2007

Police officer numbers have remained stable compared to last quarter

Total number of Police Officers (Full-time Equivalent) in Scotland, 2007-23

Shows the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed since 2007. They increased from 16,234 in Q1 of 2007 to 17,278 in Q2 2009. Officer numbers were then relatively stable for a period remaining above 17,100 between Q2 of 2009 and Q4 of 2021. After which they decreased to 16,570 in Q3 of 2022 followed by a small increase to 16,644 in Q4 of 2022 but have since decreased slightly to 16,600 in Q2 of 2023.

The statistics in this release are based upon quarterly returns made by Police Scotland to the Scottish Government, and are a by-product of live administrative processes, generated directly from the HR systems. The data return provides a snapshot of police strength at the end of the quarter. The published police officer figures are sourced from Police Scotland's personnel records and as such the quality and reliability is good.

The next edition in the series, Police Officer Quarterly Strength Scotland, 30 September 2023, will be published on Tuesday 7 November 2023.

Police Scotland publish Management Information which includes sub-national breakdown of officers and police staff by division.

The publication file (.xlsx) is available to download below.

Police officer quarterly strength statistics: 30 June 2023
Excel document
42.5 kB
Back to top