POLICE Scotland have written off more than 25,000 crimes in just over two years leading to claims that this is fuelling a deepening crisis in public trust.
According to a Police Scotland survey, people are losing patience as there are not enough officers on the streets and too many “minor” crimes which slip through the cracks,
It comes after the cash-strapped force scaled back investigations into low-level crimes lacking leads, witnesses or CCTV evidence, citing staffing shortages and budget-driven shifts in priorities.
Crimes such as shoplifting, theft and vandalism are among those being marked no action – “directly filed” – under their Proportionate Response to Crime (PRTC) policy.
Data shows 25,324 reported crimes were “filed” rather than investigated between 28 August 2023 – when the policy was first introduced – and January 31 this year.
That equates to almost 3% of around 910,000 crime reports recorded during the period.
Critics slam the policy as a “surrender to criminals”, insisting failing to investigate low-level offences denies victims justice.
Police Scotland say the approach frees up officers to focus on serious crime but internal force polling reveals they are losing public support.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: “These shocking figures are a direct result of the SNP’s relentless weakening of Scotland’s justice system and their failure to fully support our police.
“It amounts to a surrender to criminals who know they will be able to get away with a whole range of offences in SNP-run Scotland.
“This puts public safety at risk and leaves people wondering whether it is even worth reporting a crime.
“Communities and overstretched officers deserve better than the SNP hollowing out the force, something that will continue if they win a majority at May’s election.
“That is why Scots must use their peach ballot paper to vote for the Scottish Conservatives and stop an SNP majority to ensure we have MSPs standing up for our police and public safety.”
Data shows that in the 12 months between January and December 2025 alone, a total of 13,137 crime reports were “directly filed” – more than 3% of the total.
Police chiefs say it freed up almost 70,000 hours of frontline officer time “for other policing activity” but cannot account for how the extra hours were spent.
They say the “complex and dynamic nature” of front-line policing makes it “challenging” to quantify precisely how the freed-up capacity has been utilised.
Police Scotland insist the policy supports clearer and more proportionate decision-making, helping to “manage expectations and improve transparency” for members of the public reporting crime.
According to its own “Your Police” survey, however, public confidence in Scottish policing dropped by 4% to 46% between October and December.
The number of people thinking the police are doing a good job in their local area fell by 7% to 22%.
While those who feel well informed about local police activities declined even further from a low base of 14% to just 12%.
Those polled made clear they want more visible policing in their communities, with known trouble spots targeted and more crimes investigated.
A Police Scotland report says: “When respondents tell us why they have low confidence in their local police, they highlight a lack of visible or proactive local policing, concerns around lower-level crime not being addressed and negative past experiences.
“They want clearer communication about routine police activity in their area, and targeted patrols in known problem hotspots where issues or community concerns are seen to persist.
“Over a third of respondents remain not certain about whether the police are addressing local concerns and how they are keeping people safe.”
The report adds: “This highlights the importance of maintaining regular and visible communication about what Police Scotland is doing nationally and locally to respond to concerns from the public.”
Police Scotland say despite criticism the PRTC policy “must not be mistaken for a non-investigation policy”.
They say it ensures a “proportionate and risk-based approach” and makes the best use of available police time.
The report says: “From a workforce perspective, PRTC supports more effective demand management by reducing the allocation of non-viable investigations to front-line officers.
“This enables officers and staff to focus their time and effort on cases where proportionate investigative opportunities exist, contributing to improved workload balance and operational sustainability.”
