Police numbers have dropped below 600 in the Forth Valley as the force is seeing increased departures due to retirement, and struggling to make up the numbers through recruitment.
Statistics show the Forth Valley had 633 officers in 2013, a number which fell to 613 last year and just 599 in June this year.
This comes as a rise in violent and sexual crimes is reported in the Forth Valley.
Stephen Kerr MSP said:
“Police Scotland is struggling to maintain numbers as more officers seek retirement, and we simply aren’t seeing enough new officers.
We need to hear a plan from the Scottish Government to address this. We’ve heard nothing so far. Their attitude appears to be to set a budget, and then leave everyone else to do the hard work.”