POLICE officer numbers have largely remained the same across the Forth Valley, according to the latest figures.

Comparing the last quarter of 2017/18 with the first quarter of the new financial year, the number of personnel in the local division went up by four to 635.

The total number of officers who can be called upon, including regional and national resources, went down by one, now standing at 3,077.

Local officers include those in community, response and road policing teams as well as divisional rape, domestic abuse and violence reduction units.

The regional and national resources supplement them where required.

There are 918 officers in specialist support roles including major investigation teams and armed policing units across the East Division which also includes Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders as well as Fife.

A further 1,524 are working across Scotland and could be deployed in Clacks and around the Forth Valley – these include the national rape investigation and human trafficking units as well as air support and the mounted unit.