Plans to restore local policing and deliver a named community and crime prevention officer in every community across Falkirk, have been backed by Labour’s candidate for Falkirk West, Paul Godzik.

ExCo

Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, made the community policing pledge as new figures revealed that under the SNP Scottish Government 180 police stations have been closed since 2013, with plans currently in place to close another 21. With the Scottish Police Federation stating that current SNP policy is “eroding the visible presence of policing in our communities”.

Labour’s plans to reverse this decline will ensure that by the end of the next Parliament, every ward in Scotland will have a named officer within local divisions who is tasked with building relationships in the community and gathering intelligence on crime within local areas.

Paul with Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, who made the commitment to community policing

placeholder image — Paul with Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, who made the commitment to community policing

A new Scottish Labour government will also set our new Strategic Police Priorities within the first 100 days, establishing a new direction for Police Scotland to prioritise visible, community-based officers, and ensuring that community policing teams have resources dedicated to working directly with schools, retailers, and community groups.

Labour will also introduce a statutory requirement for councils to be consulted on local policing plans and to take evidence from local policing divisions, reinforcing the need for local accountability and input into community policing plans.

Labour’s candidate for Falkirk West, Paul Godzik, stated: “I’m pleased that Scottish Labour are putting a clear focus on community policing and are seeking to reverse the pattern of centralisation that has gone on for many years under the SNP.

“Communities, like Denny, have suffered as local police stations have closed and funding has been stretched. Inevitably links with local officers have lessened, and as the Scottish Police Federation have pointed out police visibility has been eroded.

“This needs to change, and the plans outlined by Anas Sarwar provide a new direction for community policing across our communities.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “When the Scottish Government first announced the centralisation of policing in Scotland, ministers promised that communities would be ‘at the heart’ of services.

“But in 2025, we now have fewer officers than when Police Scotland was first established in 2013. That is a shocking indictment of the SNP’s failure to live up to that earlier pledge to put communities first.

“When I speak with communities across Scotland, one of the most common things I am told by people is that they used to know the names of their local police officers.

“Scottish Labour will restore community policing and get police back on Scotland’s streets. We will free up 360 police officers to join divisions on the frontline of policing in Scotland, cutting thousands of wasted hours in A&E departments and in our courts.