Nicola Sturgeon was accused of “ignoring” stark warnings of budget shortfalls in Scotland’s police force.
It follows claims by the Scottish Police Authority the spending plans leave a £49 million deficit.
The Scottish Police Federation, which represents officers, said spending constraints “increases the risk to the public”.
And the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents said there’s been a “failure” to provide enough money for the service.
At First Minister’s Questions, Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said Sturgeon is “short changing” police.
Carlaw, raising the police warnings, said: “It’s quite clear that neither she nor her government have come anywhere close to meeting the budget allocation that frontline officers and the SPA believe is needed to sustainable policing service.”
He added: “Isn’t the choice clear? You increase police funding or you are putting the public at risk.”
Sturgeon defended the budget, saying £1.5 billion has been stripped by the UK Government.
The SNP’s budget, announced earlier this week, increases capital funding from £35 million to £40 million. Around £17 million more than expected will be invested in the resources budget, which deals with day-to-day spending.
Police say the resource budget, even with the extra cash, leaves a £49 million hole.
Sturgeon said: “I recognise in our police service, as across all our services, there is still an impact to be felt of a decade of Tory austerity and we will continue to work to protect the police and our other public services.
“We are in a budget process. I say to the Conservatives, as I as I say to other parties, if they want in the next stage of this process to bring forward credible proposals, this government is willing to discuss them.”
Responding to the police claims earlier, a spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: "Despite cuts to Scotland's overall budget through a decade of UK austerity, the Scottish Government has ensured policing services have been maintained and improved.
"Even though the UK Government has failed to provide clarity on funding for Scotland next year, we have committed to providing an extra £42 million for Police Scotland's annual budget.
"This represents a 3.6 per cent rise to more than £1.2 billion, which will ensure the service can keep officer numbers at current levels, as well as maintaining and modernising its estate."
