Police officers are facing a “mountain of pressures”, the Scottish Liberal Democrats have said as figures showed millions has been paid out in overtime.
Data obtained by the party through a freedom of information request shows that since Police Scotland was centralised in 2013, £358,335,531 has been spent on overtime payments to officers and staff.
The figures also show that in the first six months of 2025/26, more than £26 million has been paid in overtime.
Lib Dem justice spokeswoman Yi-pei Chou Turvey said events such as US President Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland last summer would have affected the overtime bill.
The visit led to a dispute between the Scottish and UK governments over who should pay for the estimated £24.1 million it cost Police Scotland.
She said: “After promising that their centralisation would bring big cost savings, the SNP have delivered the total opposite: hundreds of millions shelled out in overtime payments, declining officer numbers and police counters closing.
“Events like Donald Trump’s visit will play a part in this staggering bill, but it nonetheless reflects the mountain of pressures facing officers and staff.
“We should not be asking those who keep our streets and communities safe to work beyond their limits. That will only increase the chances of those who remain heading for the door, hollowing out the service even further. It also means officers trying to protect the public while at their wits’ end.
“I will be using my position in this new Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to step up support for officers. That starts by properly resourcing our justice system and making sure the needs of Scottish policing are finally met.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland’s police officers do an outstanding job in often challenging circumstances, including policing a growing number of protests and major events, and ministers are grateful for their dedication and hard work.
“While deployment is an operational matter, we are investing record funding of more than £1.7 billion in policing in 2026–27.
“The Chief Constable has confirmed that this investment will enable Police Scotland to maintain officer numbers at 16,500 while continuing to prioritise front-line services.
“Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales, and recorded crime has fallen by almost half since 1991.”