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Row over 'extra' police officers Row over 'extra' police officers
(about 1 hour later)
The Scottish Government has conceded that its plans to boost police numbers will not come from taking on new officers alone.The Scottish Government has conceded that its plans to boost police numbers will not come from taking on new officers alone.
Opposition parties have accused the SNP of misleading voters after ministers said they would boost capacity by the "equivalent" of 1,000 extra officers. Opposition leaders accused the SNP of misleading voters after ministers said they would boost capacity by the "equivalent" of 1,000 extra officers.
The party is facing defeat in the Scottish Parliament over the plans.The party is facing defeat in the Scottish Parliament over the plans.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the rise would be through recruitment, retention and redeployment. First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed the rise would be in recruitment, retention and redeployment.
Speaking during First Minister's Questions, Alex Salmond told MSPs that plans for police recruitment would be set out in the 14 November budget. Labour leader Wendy Alexander accused Mr Salmond of misquoting his own party manifesto - which set out plans in its first budget for "1,000 more police" - in a previous exchange with her over police numbers.
In a Conservative-led debate in parliament, the party's justice spokesman, Bill Aitken, referred to the SNP's election manifesto commitment to set out plans in its first budget for "1,000 more police". As soon as we recruit the first police officer, that will be one more than the Labour party promised in the election campaign Alex SalmondFirst minister
I can confirm that we will deliver a visible police presence, that we will provide an additional 1,000 officers for our communities Kenny MacAskill,Justice secretary The government subsequently promised the "equivalent" of this number.
He claimed that a failure of the government to recruit that number would be an "appalling breach of trust". "The word 'equivalent' does not appear in this section of the manifesto," said Ms Alexander during first minister's question time.
The concerns were backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Mr Salmond said plans for police recruitment would be set out in the 14 November budget, adding: "We will deliver an additional 1,000 police officers in our communities through increased recruitment, improved retention and redeployment.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said a 1,000-officer increase in capacity would be delivered. "As soon as we recruit the first police officer, that will be one more than the Labour Party promised in the election campaign."
Mr MacAskill said ministers would provide funding for "substantial additional recruitment", but added that it was also vital to retain the skills of highly experienced officers as well as cutting back on the bureaucracy which left police deskbound and filing, instead of being out on patrol. The Scottish Government is expected to suffer a Holyrood defeat after the concerns were raised in a Conservative debate, backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
He told MSPs: "I can confirm that we will deliver a visible police presence, that we will provide an additional 1,000 officers for our communities and we will do so through recruitment, through the retention and through redeployment to maximise it, not simply by more numbers." Also on the attack, Tory leader Annabel Goldie said Mr Salmond had broken a "cast iron" policing promise, asking: "Will he now come clean, admit that the SNP cannot be trusted and that he has betrayed the public and he has betrayed our police?
"He promised 1,000 extra police. Scotland currently has 16,261 officers, so when we will we have 17,261 officers?
"Or is the truth really that under the SNP, the answer is never?"
The first minister said that, once upon a time, the Tories were in favour of the "three Rs", adding: "I think Annabel should back our plans for recruitment, retention and redeployment of our officers to make the streets of Scotland safer."