Scots police chiefs warn force is struggling with rising crime and civil unrest, seek emergency funding

Police Scotland has warned that the force is struggling to cope with rising crime and ongoing civil unrest, saying that social cohesion in communities is at risk and that public confidence in policing could erode if problems persist. In a pre-budget submission to the Scottish Parliament’s criminal justice committee, Chief Constable Jo Farrell said urgent support was needed to strengthen frontline services, improve prevention, and ensure investigations can be carried out effectively. The submission also laid out a case for an extra £113.4 million to recruit more staff and shore up capacity amid the surge in offending.

The warning comes ahead of the draft Scottish Budget due in January, when Finance Secretary Shona Robison will set policing and other public spending priorities. The report portrays policing as operating under intensifying pressures from poverty, inequality, evolving criminality, and geopolitical flashpoints that are driving vulnerability and harm. It notes that organised crime groups and individuals are exploiting these conditions to target children, while civil unrest has become a recurring feature of weekly demonstrations.

The Chief Constable’s professional view is that urgent support is required to strengthen frontline services, given that the operational environment is rapidly intensifying and the reduced workforce is under growing strain. The report argues that policing performance is being affected, including the public’s willingness to report crimes and the service’s ability to reduce harm through prevention and proactive policing. It emphasizes that the public’s confidence in policing is deeply connected to social cohesion and that communities need to feel able to come forward with information without fear of reprisal or neglect.

The document also highlights that staff feel under-resourced to carry out their duties, with only about 48% reporting their workload as manageable. That figure underscores a broader concern within Police Scotland that morale and capacity are fraying at a time of increasing demand, including the need to respond to protests and counter-demonstrations linked to immigration and international issues. The report notes that policing continues to respond to civil unrest around anti-immigration protests near hotels and counter-demonstrations, as well as public discourse related to Palestine and the UK government’s proscription of the Palestine Action Group.

Reactions from policing unions were swift. David Threadgold, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, described the report as a notable shift in tone from senior executives and an honest appraisal of the current situation. Calum Steele, a former SPF general secretary, wrote in The Herald that the analysis is “warts-and-all” in its assessment of policing’s position and the risks if decline is not addressed. The document’s frank assessment comes as ministers prepare to weigh funding decisions that could determine whether Scotland’s police forces can maintain frontline presence and investigative capability amid growing pressure.

The submission is framed as part of pre-budget scrutiny, signaling that budgetmakers will be faced with a request to protect or boost policing resources at a time when public safety and community trust are being tested by rising crime and ongoing protests. Politicians have already weighed in on the report; critics argue that continued cuts to policing would magnify the risks described by Police Scotland, while supporters say any funding decisions must align with broader public spending priorities and efficiency goals. The January budget cycle will therefore be closely watched, with the government balancing the need to safeguard public safety against competing demands across public services.

As the budget process unfolds, Police Scotland leadership is effectively calling for a financial reset to restore operational headroom, accelerate recruitment, and bolster prevention and investigative work. The aim, according to the pre-budget submission, is to reverse the decline in frontline capacity and to restore confidence that communities can report crime and that police can act promptly and effectively to reduce harm.