Motion
Community Policing
S6M-20730 · Motion For Debate · lodged by McNeill, Pauline
Lodged on
09 Feb 2026Heard / answered on
11 Feb 2026Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 11 Feb 2026
That the Parliament regrets that cuts to police officer numbers have disproportionately fallen on local divisions, reducing the number of officers on the frontline; is deeply concerned about reports of rising crime, particularly violent crime; recognises that the proportion of people reporting that they feel safe after dark is at the lowest point on record; considers that failures to modernise the court system and support mental health care have resulted in a poor use of police officer time, which should be focused on reducing crime; believes that there is a need to restore community policing, and calls for the creation of community and crime prevention officers in every council ward in Scotland.
Backed by
Supported by 1 additional MSP
Lab 1
Lodged by
McNeill, Pauline
(Scottish Labour).
- Sweeney, Paul (Lab)
Final vote on motion (as amended)
11 Feb 2026
Carried
Show MSPs
For
66Against
54Abstain
1Not voted
8Amendments incorporated
- S6M-20730.1 Constance, Angela — carried 66/55: As an amendment to motion S6M-20730 in the name of Pauline McNeill (Community Policing), leave out from "regrets" to end and insert "acknowledges that Scotland is a safe country with recorded crime having decreased by 38% since 2006-7 and that homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; recognises that in 2025-26, the Scottish Government increased police funding to a record £1.64 billion, investment which enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, and that the draft Budget has a further record investment in policing of £1.7 billion in 2026-27; condemns the UK Government’s employer national insurance increase, which is costing Police Scotland over £25 million every year; commends the hard work, dedication and commitment of all the officers and staff of Police Scotland; is pleased that police officers in Scotland receive the best basic pay in the UK at the minimum and maximum of each rank, and that there are around 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers per 10,000 population, compared with around 24 FTE officers in England and Wales; notes that Police Scotland has an important role to play in addressing community concerns or tensions and there should be no tolerance for hate crime in a modern society; recognises that, whilst the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows a long-term increase in the proportion of people who report feeling safe in their local area, perceptions of safety can vary significantly between communities; further recognises that, in September 2025, Parliament agreed the landmark Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Act, which will introduce reforms to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice and courts system, establish a Sexual Offences Court, improve the Victim Notification Scheme and parole system, and introduce a Victims Commissioner, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue its focus on reducing crime and reoffending and supporting victims."
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament acknowledges that Scotland is a safe country with recorded crime having decreased by 38% since 2006-7 and that homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; recognises that in 2025-26, the Scottish Government increased police funding to a record £1.64 billion, investment which enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, and that the draft Budget has a further record investment in policing of £1.7 billion in 2026-27; condemns the UK Government’s employer national insurance increase, which is costing Police Scotland over £25 million every year; commends the hard work, dedication and commitment of all the officers and staff of Police Scotland; is pleased that police officers in Scotland receive the best basic pay in the UK at the minimum and maximum of each rank, and that there are around 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers per 10,000 population, compared with around 24 FTE officers in England and Wales; notes that Police Scotland has an important role to play in addressing community concerns or tensions and there should be no tolerance for hate crime in a modern society; recognises that, whilst the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows a long-term increase in the proportion of people who report feeling safe in their local area, perceptions of safety can vary significantly between communities; further recognises that, in September 2025, Parliament agreed the landmark Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Act, which will introduce reforms to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice and courts system, establish a Sexual Offences Court, improve the Victim Notification Scheme and parole system, and introduce a Victims Commissioner, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue its focus on reducing crime and reoffending and supporting victims.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-20730.1: leave out from "regrets" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-20730 in the name of Pauline McNeill (Community Policing), leave out from "regrets" to end and insert "acknowledges that Scotland is a safe country with recorded crime having decreased by 38% since 2006-7 and that homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; recognises that in 2025-26, the Scottish Government increased police funding to a record £1.64 billion, investment which enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, and that the draft Budget has a further record investment in policing of £1.7 billion in 2026-27; condemns the UK Government’s employer national insurance increase, which is costing Police Scotland over £25 million every year; commends the hard work, dedication and commitment of all the officers and staff of Police Scotland; is pleased that police officers in Scotland receive the best basic pay in the UK at the minimum and maximum of each rank, and that there are around 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers per 10,000 population, compared with around 24 FTE officers in England and Wales; notes that Police Scotland has an important role to play in addressing community concerns or tensions and there should be no tolerance for hate crime in a modern society; recognises that, whilst the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows a long-term increase in the proportion of people who report feeling safe in their local area, perceptions of safety can vary significantly between communities; further recognises that, in September 2025, Parliament agreed the landmark Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Act, which will introduce reforms to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice and courts system, establish a Sexual Offences Court, improve the Victim Notification Scheme and parole system, and introduce a Victims Commissioner, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue its focus on reducing crime and reoffending and supporting victims."
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 4 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Chamber
· 11 Feb 2026 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20730, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on community policing. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak butt…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Feb 2026 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Angela Constance is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Liam Kerr will fall.The next question is, that amendment S6M-20730.1, in the name of…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Feb 2026 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
The amendment in the name of Liam Kerr falls.The next question is, that motion S6M-20730, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on community policing, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 11 Feb 2026 · Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
The result of the division on motion S6M-20730, in the name of Pauline McNeill, as amended, is: For 66, Against 54, Abstentions 1.Motion, as amended, agreed to,That the Parliament acknowledges that S…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-20730Selected itemCarried 66/5409 Feb 2026 · Motion For Debate · McNeill, PaulineThat the Parliament regrets that cuts to police officer numbers have disproportionately fallen on local divisions, reducing the number of officers on the frontline; is deeply concerned about reports of rising crime, particularly violent crime; recognises that the proportion of people reporting that they feel safe after dark is at the lowest point on ...
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S6M-20730.1Linked amendment/itemCarried 66/5510 Feb 2026 · Amendment · Constance, AngelaAs an amendment to motion S6M-20730 in the name of Pauline McNeill (Community Policing), leave out from "regrets" to end and insert "acknowledges that Scotland is a safe country with recorded crime having decreased by 38% since 2006-7 and that homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; recognises that in 2025-26, the Scottish ...
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S6M-20730.2Linked amendment/item10 Feb 2026 · Amendment · Kerr, LiamAs an amendment to motion S6M-20730 in the name of Pauline McNeill (Community Policing), leave out from "for the creation" to end and insert "on the Scottish Government to reduce non-crime demand on Police Scotland and accelerate delivery of a ‘Right Care, Right Person’ style model."