Big reduction in crime!

Think of an area where the streets are covered in discarded chewing gum, plastic bags and vomit; an area where young people commit acts of drunken vandalism. You can be pretty sure that there will be no police around. You can be pretty sure that in police HQ there will be too many middle managers and top managers sitting around drinking tea.

Now think of an area where there is a visible police presence; an area where you see your local friendly policemen on patrol.

Some of Scotland's most crime-ridden areas have seen crime rates fall by a fifth since old-fashioned police street patrols were introduced. (bobbies on the beat do cut crime)

In Glasgow, in 2007, serious assaults fell by 38 % in city-centre zones that were given extra police foot patrols at nights and weekends.

Edinburgh has seen a similar success.

Jackie Muller, secretary of the federation's Lothian and Borders branch, is quoted as saying: "My membership are telling me they would be able to give a better service to the public if they were out in the communities in which they serve."

According to The Scotsman newspaper, "much of the cost of upping front-line officer numbers in Glasgow will come from a reduction of middle-management officers, such as superintendents, at Strathclyde Police's headquarters in the city."

The Scottish Government, now run by the Scottish National Party, has said it will fund 500 additional officers, with another 500 being funded by cutting red tape and dissuading other staff from retiring.

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