McArthur calls for recruitment drive to deliver more special constables

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today warned the Special Constabulary is “collapsing into extinction” after research from his party revealed that their numbers have fallen sharply since the SNP’s centralisation of Scottish policing.

Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information requests reveal there were 1,394 special constables in 2013/14, but falling to just 384 in 2024/25, a decrease of 72%.

Special constables operate on a part-time and voluntary basis, exercising similar powers to police officers and helping boost the police’s presence in communities.

Mr McArthur said:

“Special constables provide an important link between communities and their police service because they can provide valuable local knowledge and assist frontline officers in their duties.

“The police service is stretched like never before. At a time when the police need all the help they can get, SNP ministers are letting the special constabulary fade away, to the point there may not be one much longer.

“Officers are up in arms about the pressures they face on every shift. On any given day they will be rushing to major incidents or dealing with complex mental health cases. It is essential that they receive the right support.

“I want to see ministers reversing the years of damage inflicted by their botched centralisation. That includes a serious recruitment drive to put the Special Constabulary on a long-term footing and ensuring officers and staff have the resources they need to tackle crime and keep people safe.”