Scots Lose Confidence in SNP's Lenient Justice Approach

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One in three Scots are living in fear of rising crime levels amid plummeting police numbers, a damning new poll has found.

Three times as many people also feel crime levels are getting worse rather than  better.

The findings emerged as new figures showed the eye-watering scale and cost of overtime for Police Scotland’s stretched frontline.

The Scottish Conservatives said law-abiding Scots had ‘clearly lost trust’ in the SNP ’s ‘soft-touch justice system’, while the body representing frontline officers called on ministers to making policing ‘a greater priority for Government’.

SNP justice Secretary Angela Constance said she was ‘concerned’ by the survey results.

The Survation poll for 1919 Magazine asked more than 1,000 adults to describe how much their local area crime rate had changed in the past two years.

A total of 34 per cent some a lot or a little more, 44 per cent ‘about the same’ and only 11 per cent a little or a lot less. The rest were undecided or declined to say.

Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) were not confident local officers had the resources to prevent crime and only a third thought the force could muster a visible local presence.

Most Scots (51 per cent) also doubted local police could respond quickly to calls.

The largest group (46 per cent) also lacked confidence in the force’s ability to solve crimes, compared to 43 per cent expressing confidence.

Scottish Tory community safety spokeswoman Sharon Dowey said: ‘This damning survey exposes how badly the SNP’s soft-touch justice system is failing Scots.

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‘The Nationalists have consistently cut police resource, which has left them unable to investigate certain crimes.

‘Law-abiding Scots have clearly lost trust in the SNP’s system which continually panders to offenders and leaves victims as an afterthought.

‘SNP ministers need to urgently show some common sense and start to prioritise frontline policing by delivering the resources required to keep communities safe.’

The SNP came to power in 2007 promising to add at least 1,000 police officers to the 16,265 full-time equivalents then in post - a target hit within two years.

But numbers fell after the 2021 election, sinking below the inherited level last year to just 16,207 before rising again to 16,533 in the first quarter of 2025.

Figures released by the Tories yesterday showed officers racked up 4.5 million hours overtime in the past five years, with hours up 7.5 per cent last year to 773,151.

The party said it showed a frontline stretched to ‘breaking point’.

David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, said: ‘When police have the tools and the resources, they have the ability to get the job done - but at present we’re not able to carry out basic police functions like interacting with the public to prevent crime in the first place.

'Operational cops are hamstrung because they are carrying out health functions.

‘Policing has got to become a greater priority for government.’

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill added: ‘The SNP has allowed basic policing to decline, therefore trust in the police service is being eroded. Members of the public must be given the reassurance that when they need help, our police will be there for them.

‘Unfortunately, this SNP government has failed to back Police Scotland, just as it has allowed public services to decline.’

Ms Constance highlighted record funding of £1.64 billion for policing this year.

‘I am concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some.

‘I want to reassure people that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991.

‘The flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey also showed people feel safer in their communities.’

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