McArthur presses Justice Secretary on resourcing pressures on island police forces

Orkney's MSP Liam McArthur has today secured an assurance from the Justice Secretary that she will engage with Police Scotland on action to address pressures on policing capacity in island communities.

Speaking during portfolio questions, Mr McArthur highlighted that island police forces face specific recruiting and retention challenges that make responding to emerging public safety issues more difficult. Orkney’s MSP cited the rise in drug-related incidents in the islands as an example.

Commenting on the exchange, Mr McArthur said:

"Island police forces have long faced challenges with recruiting and retaining officers. With overall officer numbers down across Scotland, this has added to the pressure faced by the force in Orkney.

"At the same time, demands on policing in the islands and across the country continue to increase. One example is the rising number of drug-related incidents locally.

"I welcome the Justice Secretary’s offer to discuss with Police Scotland how these pressures might be eased.

“We ask police officers and staff to do a difficult job on our behalf. The least they deserve is to have the resources they need to keep our communities safe."