The public "isn't getting the service they deserve" from the police in Scotland, according to a whistleblower who says staffing cuts have left officers at breaking point and quitting the force.
The senior officer painted a grim picture of policing claiming the area he worked in often had as little as seven police covering a population of around 250,000 people.
He said three of four "good cops" a month were quitting and around 40 officers had been absent with stress-related illness over the past two years.
He fears it will take a serious incident such as suicide for the "relentless" working conditions to improve.
It comes after unions warned of a policing crisis as a proposed 3.7% cut in the workforce to deliver a balanced budget will mean over 200 police staff and over 600 officers cut.
The officer contacted the Herald after reading our story about a new approach to overnight policing on the Isle of Bute that has angered the community.
Officers are now on call rather than on shift from 12am to 8am during the week and from 2am to 8am at weekends.
READ MORE: Police were 'afraid of night duty' on island trialling new approach
The whistleblower said he sympathised with islanders and officers involved in the three-month pilot.
"As a police service at the moment we are a complete waste of time," he said.
"The public isn't getting the service they deserve and the police aren't getting the job they deserve.
"The area we cover has a population of around 250,000 and nine times out...
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