Police Scotland staff cuts and changes announced POLICE traffic wardens will be phased out and some face-to-face counter services cut to save money and standardise services across the single police force, Police Scotland has announced. Staff affected by the cuts will be consulted on their options which include alternative roles in the force, according to Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson who led the review of the police's services and procedures. Many of the old regional forces have already stopped providing traffic wardens, while front-counter hours vary across the regions. Police Scotland say they aim to "make the best of police resources and provide best value for money" and "see a greater consistency of public counter provision." The creation of the single police force was intended to save £1.7 billion, and Police Scotland say it has given them the opportunity to review and standardise services and procedures throughout Scotland. Mr Mawson said: "The public access our services in many ways, but we have seen the number of people calling at public counters drop in recent years. Our review will reduce opening hours at some public counters across Scotland but this is where analysis of demand has provided evidence which has allowed us to take these steps without significantly impacting on the level of service enjoyed by communities. We will match our service with demand from the public as well as exploring opportunities to work in partnership with other public agencies. Keeping people safe is the focus of Police Scotland and this is an opportunity to deliver a more consistent, professional service which will enable more officers to be deployed where and when they are needed the most in communities. We have developed a range of methods for public contact and service including the launch of 101, introducing contact points which connect callers at police stations direct to us and enhancing local policing throughout the country. We are continuing to work with partners in business and the public sector to develop more effective partnerships that will enhance availability of policing services in communities. The transition to Police Scotland gave us a chance to critically review all of our processes to ensure we make the best of our resources and provide best value for money to the public. The model we propose to move to will deliver a professional service based on our current needs and that of the public, as well as for the longer term. He added: "Police stations and public counters will still operate across the country and provide a number of different services to a diverse range of communities. These proposed changes are about matching our resources to the demands of the communities we serve in order to keep people safe. Changes to legislation in relation to most parking offences means that there is no longer a requirement for enforcement to be carried out by the police. As a result, the traffic warden service has already been withdrawn from many parts of the country. In keeping with this approach we are now proposing to remove the service from the remaining areas of the country. We recognise the impact this change will have on staff and although we are consulting them on the options available to them which will include alternative roles within the organisation.