Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

THE record number of police in Scotland will be put at risk if the country votes to stay in the UK next month, a former senior officer has claimed.

Allan Burnett, who was director of intelligence at Strathclyde Police and was also assistant chief constable in charge of counter-terrorism in Scotland, warned of the impact of a No vote on policing north of the border.

His concerns were echoed by two other former leading members of the force -James Fraser, a previous chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, and David Ross, an ex-vice-chair of the organisation.

Mr Burnett contrasted the situation south of the border, where he said officer numbers are "being slashed", with Scotland, where police numbers have been maintained.

"Police numbers in England and Wales have fallen more rapidly than anywhere else in Europe," he argued.

"Meanwhile, Scotland continues to benefit from record numbers in the police service. A No vote will put that at real risk. A Yes vote will consolidate the progress in police numbers and conditions of service. A No vote ends all of that."

He went on: "Police numbers are being slashed as part of Westminster's austerity programme. It is pretty clear that is exactly what is in prospect for the people of Scotland if there is a No vote next month.

"The Westminster Government - whoever is in charge of the Treasury - will be looking to make substantial and painful cuts to Scotland's budget - and policing will be under severe pressure."

Mr Fraser said: "The truth is there are real dangers for Scotland if we miss this great opportunity on September 18 and vote No.

"The people of Scotland need only to look at the way policing in England and Wales is being hammered by this Coalition - and we all know that, in the event of a No vote,Scotland will be next for a hammering."

Mr Ross warned: "Policing in Scotland will suffer dramatically and rapidly if there is a No vote. Everything from the number of serving police officers to their remuneration, career opportunities and pensions will be threatened. Only with a Yes vote can we ensure that policing isn't the next thing to suffer from Westminster's slash-and-cut mentality."

He added: "The police service - like so many other areas of Scottish public life - needs to be protected from the worst excesses of the cuts and austerity threatened from Westminster now and for years and years to come. This referendum is the one opportunity to make sure Scotland avoids that fate."

Figures published earlier this month revealed there were 17,318 police officers in Scotland on June 30 2014 - an increase of 6.7 per cent, or 1084 officers, since March 31, 2007.