Commenting on today’s demand by the Police Federation of England & Wales for 2,000 extra police officers, Bill Kidd, SNP MSP for the Glasgow Region, has said that the police's demands highlight the tale of two governments between an SNP Government meeting the concerns of communities and a Labour government continuing to let the police down.

This follows the release of figures earlier this year, which showed that there are more police on Scotland’s streets than ever before, with Strathclyde Police employing a record 7955 officers across the region. The figures showed that in less than two years, the SNP Government has put nearly 500 more police on the streets of Scotland, and is on course to meet our target of 1000 additional police by the end of the Parliamentary term.

Commenting Mr Kidd said: "The tale of two governments shows the SNP meeting the concerns of communities and creating jobs in Glasgow and across Scotland, whilst Labour is failing south of the border.  Not only is the SNP Government striving to achieve safer streets but it is also offering more jobs in policing. 

"Since the SNP came in to Government we have seen a more visible police presence on the streets, deterring crime and reassuring our citizens.

"The SNP pledged to hire 1,000 additional police recruits – that’s 1,000 more than there would have been under Labour.
                 
 “This report from south of the border is an embarrassment to Labour and shows they do not have a leg to stand on when it comes to the issue of increasing a police presence on our streets.

"“People in Glasgow, and across Scotland, can rely on an SNP Government to deliver record numbers of officers and make their streets safer."
       
Notes:

1. The report from today’s Telegraph can be read here.    

2. Figures on police numbers in Scotland – covering the period up to the end of 2008 can be found here.