CHIEF Constable Jo Farrell has visited just 15 per cent of Scots police stations since taking on the job over a year ago.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed Scotland‘s most senior officer has only visited 36 cop shops during the first 15-months of her tenure reports The Herald.
Ms Farrell – who previously headed up Durham Constabulary -replaced Sir Iain Livingstone as the head of Police Scotland when he retired in August.
The figures showed how she made just 79 visits to 36 police stations since taking over as top cop.
It means around 190 community stations have not been visited.
Many of the repeat visits were understood to be related to scheduled events or specific trips to meet officers, staff and volunteers.
But Police Scotland argued the FOI did not provide a “complete list” and that the Chief Constable attended many impromptu visits which were not formally recorded.
This year Ms Farrell visited Glasgow police stations 23 times in the 15-month period, attending eight of the city’s 22 stations.
That included six visits to Scotland’s Crime Campus in Gartcosh and five each to Police Scotland headquarters in Dalmarnock and Govan.
She also made two visits to the force’s Heliport, also in Govan.
More than a fifth of all visits occurred in Edinburgh with ten visits to Fettes and six visits to St Leonards
There was just one station visited in the North East – Nigg in Aberdeen – which she attended twice.
And there was just one visit to Argyll and Bute – to Lochgilphead’s station.
And the only Fife community visited was Glenrothes, with five visits to the local station.
There were only two Highlands visits to Inverness Burnett Road station and the city’s department HQ on Old Perth Road twice each.
The only island stations to be visited were Lerwick in Shetland and Kirkwall in Orkney, with one trip each.
The Chief Constable previously said of her visits: “Meeting with our fantastic officers, staff and volunteers is one of the highlights of leading Police Scotland.
“Since I came into post, I have heard directly from detectives, local policing officers, dog handlers, mounted officers, service advisers, special constables and more in every corner of Scotland, from Ayrshire to Lerwick, Aberdeen to Edinburgh, and Inverness to Forth Valley.
“I look forward to continuing to make these visits in the coming year.
“Time and time again I’m hugely impressed and deeply grateful for the professionalism, compassion, passion and skill my colleagues bring to their work to provide our vital public service to keep our communities safe.
“Police Scotland’s officers and staff and their commitment to serving our communities are the core of the service’s success.”
The figures come one year after 29 police stations across Scotland were put under risk of closure with the force looking to plug the budget gap.
Cops said in December 2023 that 29 buildings could be sold off, including offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The future of Police Scotland’s estate has yet to be confirmed, however Fettes and Leith stations in Edinburgh were amongst those tipped for closure, while Glasgow’s Stewart Street, Pacific Quay and Gorbals could be axed.
Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said many of the inherited buildings “no longer meet the requirements of local communities”.
And buildings need to be “safe, functional spaces” that are adaptable enough to meet changing public expectations.
Fourteen of the 29 stations at risk don’t have public access.