Last week I attended the Centenary Conference of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents where Chief Constable Jo Farrell outlined her policy plans and a distinguished panel discussed the overarching challenges for policing in the coming period.

Interestingly, the concerns raised by the panel mirrored those that had been discussed a decade ago including resourcing, buildings and partnerships. In reality, driving these challenges is the issue of finance. More than £200 million has been slashed annually from Scotland's policing budget since the national service's inception - a total of £2 billion lost - and the capital budget is much smaller than bodies of comparable size, thus infrastructure deteriorates and officer numbers decline.

It is understandable that Chief Constable Farrell is exploring ways to mitigate call volumes, reallocate resources from court duties and close under-utilised police stations. Criticism of her strategy from certain quarters overlooks the fiscal constraints driving these decisions. A former colleague inquired whether a Royal Commission should reassess Scotland's policing. In reply, Martyn Evans, Chair of the Scottish Police Authority, suggested a broader review of the criminal justice system.

I disagree. The financial challenges in policing mirror those across the public sector where health, education and social services, all grapple with diminishing resources and persistently demand increased investment. The third sector, providing essential services often with insufficient compensation or recognition, faces the additional burden of competitive tendering to secure funding. Thus, it is a holistic review of public service provision that is necessary; minor adjustments within the criminal justice system will never be enough when most of the determinants of crime are beyond its reach.

In Scotland, 1% of the population experiences 65% of violent crime. These individuals often face the worst health and educational outcomes, higher addiction rates and constitute the majority of the prison population, predominantly residing in impoverished communities. Poverty and inequality drive most of the problems that we contend with as a society and this is directly reflected in the public sector burden.

As we face a General Election and the prospect of a change of UK government, perhaps a more compassionate, understanding, and solution-oriented approach is imperative. Public services must pool their limited resources for a collaborative preventive strategy, supporting those who most frequently rely on these services. The current siloed response strains our responders and stretches resources to the brink.

We repeatedly confront the same issues and there’s no cavalry in sight. As politicians remind us, "there is no magic money tree". We must transform what we have through collective efforts. It’s time for a re-evaluation and a new approach focused on integrated solutions. Surely this is within our capabilities.

It is crucial that we support Chief Constable Jo Farrell. Her strategic decisions are driven by necessity, not choice. In so doing, we should also urge policymakers to consider comprehensive solutions that address the root causes rather than the symptoms. Together we can work towards a safer, more equitable Scotland for all.

Niven Rennie was formerly President of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents and Director of Scotland's Violence Reduction Unit

Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk