201 officers quit Police Scotland after less than 12 months in last five years

More than 500 officers have quit Police Scotland after less than five years – with figures for the period 2021 to 2025 also showing more than 200 officers resigned after serving less than one year.

Scottish Labour blamed “the SNP’s abject mismanagement” for the situation, saying that  “hardworking” police officers are being “pushed to breaking point”.

Labour hit out after figures uncovered by the party using Freedom of Information showed that between 2021 and 2025 a total of 543 officers quit after less than five years in the job.

This includes 201 officers who resigned after less than 12 months.

According to the data, between January 2021 and October 2025 a total of 4,570 officers – of all service levels – left Police Scotland.

Of these, 1,945 had served between 25 and 30 years while 444 left the force having served for 30 years or more.

Scottish Labour community safety spokeswoman Katy Clark said “Police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, so it is essential that this Government has their backs in turn.

“Unfortunately, after years of neglect, hardworking officers have been pushed to breaking point, with increasing demands on their time and a lack of workforce planning piling on the pressure.

“Serving in the police should be the brightest of careers, but because of the SNP’s abject mismanagement hundreds of officers at the start of their careers are choosing to quit.”

She promised Labour, if elected, would take “meaningful action to help support our officers”, adding this would “make Police Scotland a more attractive place to work, helping to recruit and retain those who wish to make their careers serving our communities”.

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said Police Scotland had “natural turnover”, but added that the “operational environment is placing our workforce under pressure”.

The senior officer said: “Officers and staff work hard to deliver for communities and keep people safe in the face of changing threats, and the rapidly intensifying operational environment is placing our workforce under pressure.

“As with other organisations, we have natural turnover driven largely by retirements, however we have a strong pipeline of applications for recruitment.”

He confirmed Police Scotland was in discussion with both the Scottish Police Authority and Scottish Government about funding allocations for 2026-27, saying this would “have a direct impact on our recruitment plans”.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “People are perfectly entitled to leave their employment and every sector of society has people do so.

“We have invested record funding in Police Scotland this year.

“Recorded crime is down by half since 1991 and Police Scotland took on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes since.”