Numbers of special constables within Police Scotland have fallen by 73% since the national police service was formed, the Scottish Lib Dems say.
Figures obtained by the party through freedom of information show there were 383 special constables in 2023/24.
This is a decrease from 1,394 in 2013. The number has fallen each year except in 2019-20.
The special constabulary is trained to the same standard as the rest of the police service but operates on a volunteer basis.
Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “Special constables are an important link between communities and the police service because they can provide valuable local knowledge. On the SNP’s watch, however, their numbers are collapsing into extinction.
“The police service is stretched like never before. At a time when the police need all the help they can get, ministers are letting a useful role with a proud history fade away year after year.
He added: “I want to see ministers reversing the years of damage inflicted by their botched centralisation.
“That includes putting 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.”
Assistant chief constable Emma Bond said: “Special constables have the same warranted powers as their full-time colleagues and play a vital role for Police Scotland in supporting operational deployments, major events and day-to-day policing duties.
“Our revised volunteering plan fully aligns with our Vision 2030 and three-year business plan.
“It seeks to address the national and international decline in volunteering by taking ambitious and innovative action to modernise and evolve the roles we offer, broadening access to individuals who want to serve their communities in any capacity.
“We have stabilised our number of special constables and aim to grow our volunteering cadre with intakes scheduled for next year.
“Our special constables and youth volunteers have contributed almost 50,000 hours to supporting policing priorities in the first two quarters of this financial year alone.
“Volunteering opportunities do exist and I would encourage anyone interested in learning more about how they can work with us to visit the Police Scotland website.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We value the service provided by special constables to keep our communities safe and note their recruitment and deployment is an operational matter for the chief constable.
“Police play a key role in keeping communities safe and recorded crime down to one of the lowest levels since 1974.
“That is why despite continued and unprecedented challenges to public finances, our budget for 2025-26, if approved by parliament, will deliver a record £1.62 billion for policing in 2025-26 – an increase of £70 million on 2024-25.
“Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales. Official statistics show that there were 16,427 officers at September 30 and the chief constable stated that she expected numbers to reach 16,600 in November.”
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