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New police recruits begin their training
14/01/2008
The first of an additional 150 new police recruits begin training at Tulliallan Police College today.
This first batch of 52 of the additional officers will be joined by a further 98 recruits in the next two intakes to ensure that the Government delivers 150 more officers by the end of March 2008.
The 150 officers are the first of the 500 additional officers which, combined with improved retention of skilled and experienced officers and the smart redeployment of officers, will deliver an additional 1,000 police officers in Scotland's communities.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
"This Government is committed to ensuring a more visible policing presence in our communities. Increased frontline policing is what the public want and expect and that is what we will deliver.
"Along with the improved retention of skilled and experienced officers and the redeployment of officers to free more of them to work in our communities, we promised to recruit an additional 500 officers.
"These 52 new recruits, part of the 150 additional officers we promised this financial year are confirmation that we will keep our promise.
"We believe that people feel safer from crime if they see and experience effective frontline policing and communities are stronger with an accessible police presence to deal with all sorts of everyday emergencies.
"This Government is determined to see more police officers becoming part of the fabric of the communities they serve - building local knowledge, forging strong relationships with families and businesses and helping support safe, strong communities for all."
New recruits from all eight of Scotland's forces will start their basic training at the Scottish Police College. These officers will pass out from the Police College on April 25, 2008.
As a result of the Government's funding for additional police capacity, the number of recruited officers entering the police college for this intake has increased from the projected 48 to 100 new recruits. The Police College will be running at full capacity to provide training for these new officers.
The Cabinet Secretary announced on November 12, 2007 that the Scottish Government will invest an additional £54 million over the spending review period to build police capacity and to support as a first step the recruitment of 500 new officers. At least 150 additional officers will be recruited in the current financial year. Fifty two of these officers will begin their basic training at the Scottish Police College on January 14, with the balance of the 150 starting in the February and March intakes.
It is anticipated that a further 150 additional officers will be recruited in 2008-09 and 100 additional officers in 2009-10 and 2010-11. This will bring the total number of additional recruits to 500 over the life of this Parliament.