The most senior operational officers in Police Scotland are on the brink every time there is a major police operation, the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents has said.
President Rob Hay was responding to a budget submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee, in which Chief Constable Jo Farrell set out her requirements for funding policing for the 2026-27 financial year.
Rob said that years of pressures to reduce budgets had left Police Scotland “under considerable strain” and the workforce facing “intolerable pressure”.
He said: “We wholeheartedly endorse Chief Constable Jo Farrell’s assessment of what is needed to provide a modern police service for Scotland, built upon a strong and accessible community policing model.”
“The evidence provided to the Criminal Justice Committee is rich and detailed, and we’ve never seen such consistent alignment from both Police Scotland and the staff associations, ourselves and the Scottish Police Federation.
“The assessment is clear about what is required for policing. The public now needs the Scottish government to step up to the mark and fund what is required for a modern service.”
Rob said that Superintendents and Chief Superintendents in Scotland – as the most senior operational police officers – were being pushed to the brink by day-to-day policing and large-scale events such as the visit of President Trump in August, and the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2026.
CC Farrell pointed out the pressure on the Superintending ranks in her submission to Parliament.
Rob added: “The reduction in Chief Officer ranks was a stated intention of police reforms, but the reduction in Superintending ranks was not and was an unforeseen consequence.
“We are at the point where command resilience at those operational ranks of superintendent, the most senior operational officers we have in the service, are on the brink of being compromised every time we have a major operation.
“We’re delighted to see the recognition of the burden that’s placed on the men and women who are delivering the most challenging operations at the superintending ranks.”
And Rob said that if the Scottish government does not meet CC Farrell’s funding requirements, it will have a devastating effect on policing in Scotland and officer wellbeing.
He concluded: “The current operating model is unsustainable. Sustained demand from major operations, combined with reduced workforce resilience and increasing everyday pressures, threatens both officer wellbeing and service effectiveness.
“Greater investment in officer numbers, infrastructure and technology, alongside reforms in partner sectors such as health and justice, are essential to safeguard local policing, protect our workforce and build the resilience needed to meet the inevitable cycle of future large-scale events.”