POLICE staff union Unison yesterday slammed the Scottish inspector of constabulary for “silence” over the threat to hundreds of jobs due to funding cuts and “political interference.”

The latest report of HM Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) Derek Penman claimed that the SNP government’s reform has been “effective with front line policing continuing and minimal impact to the services provided to communities.”

But Unison Police Staff Scotland branch secretary George McIrvine told the Morning Star “a line in the sand” had to be drawn on police staff numbers, with hundreds of jobs already lost and hundreds more under threat.

“HMICS have been relatively silent on the main issue surrounding the funding of Scottish policing and political interference in maintaining police officer numbers at 17,234 officers over all other considerations,” he said.

“If crime is at a record low why must police officer numbers be maintained at an unsubstantiated number from a populist political promise?”