By Lars Niven

JUSTICE MINISTER Kenny MacAskill visited Tulliallan Police College in Fife yesterday to see the first officers recruited during the SNP Government’s rule pass out.

Some 52 of the 150 policemen and women taken on over the course of the past year will now join forces across the country to start their probationary periods.

Mr MacAskill said they represented the government’s commitment to deliver a more visible police presence on Scotland’s streets and in its communities.

“The directly-funded recruitment of 1000 additional officers is central to meeting that commitment,” he said.

“Hand-in-hand with this, we are working with chief constables and police boards to improve the retention of officers and support the redeployment of officers to enhance operational policing.

“We believe that people feel safer from crime if they see and experience effective front-line policing and communities are stronger with an accessible police presence to deal with all sorts of everyday emergencies.

“A visible police presence reassures communities and deters criminals.”

He added, “The first of the additional officers passing out of Tulliallan today are positive proof that this government is meeting its commitment.

“They reinforce the message that we are determined to see more police officers becoming part of the fabric of the communities they serve, building local knowledge, forging strong relationships with families and businesses and helping support safe, strong communities for all.”

Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed back in January that an extra £40 million would be made available over the next three years for policing.

It was in addition to the £54 million which was announced in November, a sum the SNP minority government was criticised for, would result in the recruitment of 1000 additional officers by 2010/11.

Some 150 people were recruited in 2007/08, a further 450 will be taken on by the end of this financial year, another 200 in 2009/10 and the same number again in 2010/11.

It will bring the total number of additional recruits to 1000 over the life of this parliament.