���˿���

Police Scotland's new chief constable has asked for an extra £128m next year to maintain "a visible, accessible and proactive front line".

Jo Farrell told a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) board meeting the extra funding was needed to restart recruitment and cover a recent 7% pay award.

The force has warned that without the extra funds, officer numbers could drop by almost 1,500 and it may move to a "reduced attendance model" nationwide.

During her first report to the scrutiny body since taking up her post in October, Ms Farrell said she also wanted an extra £5m this year to cover escalating costs.

The force will find out what funding is available when the Scottish Government publishes the 2024/25 Budget next month.

The chief constable, who previously led Durham Constabulary, said civil unrest, new laws and "increasingly complex investigations" had contributed to a "growing community need and increase in contacts to policing from the public".

She said she understood that high inflation and other factors had put pressure on public finances and that not all funding requests would be met.

"Our ask is for £128m over and above flat cash, including an uplift to provide appropriate capital funding," she said.

She said that this money would allow the force to restart officer recruitment for the year ahead.

It would also help the force to develop a new operating model so it could live within projected funding, while maintaining service to the public.

Ms Farrell added that without funding, the force would be unable to recruit police officers in 2024/25 and that a "visible, accessible and proactive" front line was vital to prevent crime.

In a report presented to the SPA board meeting, Police Scotland asked for a £74.5m increase in revenue funding, along with a £26.4m boost in capital, £5m in its reform budget and £22.6m for voluntary redundancy and voluntary early retirement.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: "The chief constable should not have to put out a begging bowl to the SNP government, but she can see the damage their brutal under-funding of Police Scotland is doing - and that it must be reversed.

"Officer numbers are already at near-record lows and will continue to plummet unless ministers stump up the cash required to finance pay deals.

"Violent crime is at a 10-year high, so it's imperative that Police Scotland are given the resources needed in the Scottish budget to make our streets safe."

The Scottish government said “Westminster austerity” had placed public finances in Scotland under unrelenting pressure.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance told ���˿��� Scotland News: “There are many demands on government across a range of public services but I can give you an assurance that we are looking very carefully at the detail of Police Scotland’s ask.”

Meanwhile, the chief constable has again apologised for asking an officer to drive her 120 miles home to England when her train was cancelled during Storm Babet.

She had previously apologised in a statement, but at the meeting she said she apologised "unreservedly" to her colleagues, the authority, and the public for what she described as an "error of judgement".