Police Scotland officers forced to buy their own trousers due to 'poor quality' uniform

Police officers have had to buy their own trousers due to the "poor quality" of uniforms, Scotland's top cop has been told.

Concerns were raised at the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) conference, with Chief Constable Iain Livingston being asked if he was "embarrassed" by the issue.

Officer David Threadgold told the conference at Turnberry , Ayrshire: "There are officers that are turning up at Tulliallan (police college) wearing trousers that they have bought themselves because the uniform provided is of such poor quality.

"That will extend across the country."

Chief Constable Iain Livingston was asked if he was "embarrassed" by the state of police uniform (PA)

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He asked Mr Livingstone if he was "embarrassed by the state of our police equipment and uniform".

Mr Livingstone replied: "The uniform in terms of the quality of the trousers, the quality of the operational vests, they haven't been as good they should have been."

He said he had recently approved a change to issuing "higher quality cargo pants".